“My digital avatar China Tracy lives in the virtual world. In the opera house, the huge portrait resembles a quiet sculpture. China Tracy is silent and compassionate, as a Buddha statue. She silently observes the real world through the heavy layer of the stage curtain, without giving any answer.” (Cao Fei)
For the 25th "Safety Curtain" at the Wiener Staatsoper, the jury (Daniel Birnbaum, Bice Curiger and Hans-Ulrich Obrist) selected the renowned Chinese artist Cao Fei. Her work "The New Angel" can be seen by the audience from 2 November 2022 until the end of June 2023 before the start of the performances, during the intermissions and at the end of the performances. "Safety Curtain" is an exhibition series conceived by museum in progress that has been transforming the safety curtain of the Vienna State Opera's main stage into an exhibition space for contemporary art since 1998.
On the occasion of the project, a signed edition by Cao Fei is available at museum in progress. By purchasing the edition, art and opera enthusiasts will be making an important contribution to the continuation of the "Safety Curtain" exhibition series. Purchase under: mip.at/en/shop/new angel or office@mip.at.
The exhibition series "Safety Curtain" is a project of museum in progress in cooperation with the Vienna State Opera and the Bundestheater-Holding. Management: Kaspar Mühlemann Hartl, Alois Herrmann. Project partner: BLUE MOUNTAIN CONTEMPORARY ART (BMCA). Support: ART for ART, Hotel Altstadt, Johann Kattus, Foto Leutner and PRIVAT BANK der Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberösterreich. Media partner: Die Furche and Die Presse.