Midtun Dowling presents The Human Cosmos, a new exhibition by British contemporary artist Chris Rivers.
The exhibition showcases The Zodiac Universe, a hand-finished print collection inspired by astrology, mythology, and celestial cartography.
Adapted from Rivers’ acclaimed and sold-out exhibition Universal, The Human Cosmos brings together two interconnected series—Zodiac Landscapes and Zodiac Starmaps. The exhibition comprises 24 hand-finished and individually personalised prints, including twelve works representing the zodiac signs, alongside celestial compositions featuring Rivers’ iconic astronaut figure set within dreamlike cosmic terrains.
Rivers’ practice is rooted in an intense engagement with materiality. Sweeping gestures of oil paint, layered impasto, translucent glazes, and the introduction of metal leaf—gold, silver, copper, and platinum—create dynamic surfaces that evoke cosmic motion, elemental forces, and celestial depth.
Referencing the zodiac’s role in medieval and early Renaissance art, Rivers uses archetypal symbolism as a framework to explore humanity’s enduring need to find meaning within the vastness of space. The Human Cosmos is both a meditation on the universe above and a reflection of the universe within—inviting viewers to consider their place in an ever-expanding whole.