The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” - Carl Sagan
The Human Cosmos
by Chris Rivers
Vernissage february 19
Midtun Dowling is proud to present The Human Cosmos, a new exhibition by British contemporary artist Chris Rivers, showcasing The Zodiac Universe—a print collection inspired by astrology, mythology, and celestial cartography.
Adapted from Rivers’ sold-out exhibition Universal, the show brings together two distinct yet interconnected series: Zodiac Landscapes and Zodiac Starmaps. Drawing on the symbolic language of metals, elements, planets, and constellations across all twelve zodiac signs. The exhibition comprises a suite of 24 hand-finished prints, forming a rich visual compendium of the cosmos. Twelve works depict the individual signs of the zodiac, accompanied by twelve works of celestial compositions featuring Rivers’ iconic astronaut figure—poised within dreamlike terrains beneath each corresponding constellation. Together, the works merge human presence and cosmic vastness into a unified visual language.
The Human Cosmos reflects an enduring human desire to find meaning and order within the immensity of space. As Carl Sagan famously wrote, “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” Rivers’ work echoes this sentiment, positioning human experience as inseparable from the cosmic forces that shape existence. At the core of Rivers’ practice is a deep engagement with materiality and process. His imagery unfolds through sweeping gestures of oil paint, where dense impasto collides with translucent, glass-like glazes. Turbulent fields of colour—cerulean blues, cool violets, rich madder reds, and blushing crimsons—evoke cosmic eruptions, elemental forces, and the slow violence of celestial motion. New to this body of work is the introduction of metal leaf—gold, silver, copper, and platinum—embedded within the surface, catching the light and conjuring the shimmer of distant stars and planetary matter.
Ultimately, The Human Cosmos is an exploration of transformation and transcendence. Through processes of dismantling and reassembly, Rivers constructs visual worlds in which innocence and darkness, order and entropy, harmony and conflict exist in fragile equilibrium. The works invite prolonged looking, offering layered narratives that unfold over time and reward attention to the overlooked.
This exhibition presents not only a meditation on the cosmos above, but a reflection of the universe within—an invitation to consider our place in an ever-expanding whole.