Artist portrays a changing vista

"The exhibition is relatively long, and footfall may be much more than my other exhibitions at home and abroad, thanks to tourists, art lovers and families with children. This will be an interesting opportunity and a new experience for me as an artist," says the 46-year-old.

Naming the exhibition Chaoxi Zhouhe was a joint decision by Cao and her curators, Nancy Spector from the United States, Tan Xue from Hong Kong and Yang Beichen from Beijing.

Cao explains chaoxi (tide) symbolizes the essence of time and cyclical movement; and various phenomena, such as the rhythmic phases of the moon and the menstrual cycles of women, operate in patterns akin to tides.

The word zhouhe originates from the work Guanzi Zhouhe written by Guan Zhong, a philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC), signifying a state of harmonious coexistence between heaven and earth.