Cao Ou was born in Heze, Shandong in 1987. He passed the entrance examination for the Printmaking Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts in 2007 and was later awarded a BA degree in 2011. Cao was awarded his MA degree in Printmaking from the Academy in 2015, since then he has been working and living in Hangzhou.
Inspired by artists Xu Bing and Chen Qi, Cao Ou has developed his skills in the techniques of woodcut printing. His artistic themes are inspired by landscapes and the repeating patterns of buildings.
He was shortlisted for the First Muban Educational Trust Woodblock Printmaking Award in 2014.
His work is currently held in the British Museum’s permanent collection.
