Fondazione Prada has opened Dash, a large-scale multimedia exhibition by Cao Fei, at its Milan headquarters. Launched on April 9, the project synthesizes a multi-year research initiative examining the global rise of smart agriculture, positioning technological transformation within a spatial and sensory art context.
Smart Agriculture as Spatial Narrative
Developed over three years, Dash draws on Cao Fei’s collaboration with XAG, a leader in drone-based farming technologies. As a result, the exhibition translates field research into an immersive environment that bridges digital systems and traditional agricultural practices.
Installed across the Podium’s ground and first floors, the project constructs a layered scenography. Visitors encounter a juxtaposition of elements, including a traditional rice granary tent and a temple assembled from fertilizer bags, set alongside solar panels and smart farming equipment. Consequently, the exhibition establishes a dialogue between heritage and innovation, while foregrounding the material realities of agricultural transformation.
Virtual Perspective and Embodied Experience
At the center of the exhibition is “Dash-180c,” a virtual reality installation that places viewers within the perspective of a discarded agricultural drone. Through this immersive format, Cao Fei introduces a speculative narrative that unfolds within a technologically altered landscape. Therefore, the work extends beyond observation, inviting participants to inhabit the viewpoint of non-human machinery.
The upper level complements this digital experience with archival and scientific materials. Historical documents and slides dating back to 1984 are displayed alongside an automated vertical farming station, grounding the speculative dimension in empirical research. Moreover, these elements reinforce the exhibition’s thematic focus on continuity and disruption within agricultural systems.
Technology, Labor, and Cultural Reflection
Through its spatial composition, Dash interrogates the evolving relationship between humans, machines, and land. The integration of artificial intelligence into farming practices raises broader questions about labor, value, and sustainability. As a result, the exhibition positions agriculture as a critical site for examining technological change.
At the same time, Cao Fei addresses the cultural and spiritual implications of this shift. By combining immersive media with tactile materials, the project explores how contemporary societies might reconnect with ecological systems. Consequently, Dash operates at the intersection of art, design, and technological research.
The exhibition runs through September 28 at Fondazione Prada’s Milan venue, located at Largo Isarco 2. As part of the institution’s ongoing program, Dash reinforces its role as a platform for interdisciplinary experimentation, where contemporary art engages directly with global technological and environmental challenges.