Beyond the Dome
– Solo Exhibition by Wang Zichen
Exhibition Dates
2025.2.28 – 2025.6.29
Location
286 A Lakeshore Rd E, Oakville, ON L6J 1J2
Artists
Zichen Wang
Organizer
Prometheus Art Gallery
Prometheus Art Gallery is pleased to present "Beyond the Dome", the first solo exhibition of emerging contemporary artist Wang Zichen, on view from February 28 to June 29, 2025, at our Oakville location. This exhibition marks Wang Zichen’s North American debut, featuring a significant collection of her works from 2023 to 2025, as well as her first-ever printmaking series.
Wang Zichen’s artistic vision is deeply rooted in her childhood fascination with the cosmos and nature, drawing inspiration from the vastness of the universe and the ethereal glow of the stars. Her works blend cosmic imagery, architecture, and music, constructing an imagined ancient seascape filled with boundless karst caves and expansive waters. Through the interplay of time, space, and fluid forms, her paintings reflect the perpetual passage of the universe. Unique to her practice, each artwork is titled using a combination of modern dates and ancient Chinese timekeeping, symbolizing the fusion of past, present, and future.
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Beyond the visual elements, music plays a crucial role in her creative process, inspiring a synesthetic experience where sound translates into color and movement. She transforms solitude and coldness into a quiet, radiant force, crafting a world of stillness in motion, where light emerges unpredictably amidst darkness. Her paintings capture the transient beauty of standing karst formations, eroding cliffs, and the ever-changing tides, offering a poetic meditation on the timeless cycles of nature.
As an international gallery specializing in contemporary art, printmaking, and mixed media, Prometheus Art Gallery is dedicated to discovering and supporting young artists. "Beyond the Dome" provides a significant platform for Wang Zichen to introduce her artistic vision to a broader audience, inviting viewers to embark on an immersive journey through time, space, and light.
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The 12 Chinese Hour System (十二时辰, Shí'èr shíchén) is an ancient timekeeping method that divides a day into 12 equal periods, each lasting two hours. Rooted in Chinese cosmology and philosophy, this system reflects the harmonious relationship between humans and the universe. It aligns with the principles of Yin and Yang, the Five Elements (金, 木, 水, 火, 土), and the natural cycles of the cosmos, emphasizing balance and interconnectedness. Each "hour" is tied to specific energies and activities, guiding people to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Furthermore, the naming of each hour after one of the 12 Zodiac animals connects timekeeping with agricultural traditions, celestial patterns, and symbolic meanings, highlighting the profound integration of time, space, and human experience in Chinese thought. This philosophical framework illustrates how ancient Chinese culture viewed time not merely as a linear sequence but as a dynamic and cyclical process reflecting the flow of life and the universe.
Click the text to explore the 12 hour series
