A steampunk art exhibition exploring the relationship between technology and human destiny, created by 17-year-old boy Brenton Wang, has made waves with its display at the Youth Corridor Gallery of Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC) in Oakville.
This marks Wang's second invitation to showcase his work at this prestigious youth gallery space, featuring eight pieces that blend environmental consciousness with reflections on future warfare. He lives in Oakville and studies at Oakville Trafalgar High School at G12.
The First and Last Use of the Antimatter Bomb
Acrylic on wood, 2024
This artwork depicts the moment before disaster strikes. The interwoven structures and pipes are about to lose their order, with the white light representing the point where, once the nuclear bomb button is pressed, everything will be irreversible.
The rough texture of the wood chipboard intensifies the sense of impending destruction, signalling the beginning of collapse.
The exhibition's most compelling piece, "The First and Last Use of the Antimatter Bomb" depicts the tense moments before a nuclear war through intricate mechanical structures and pipeline systems.
Wang's deliberate use of particleboard's rough texture amplifies the atmosphere of impending doom, suggesting the possible collapse of human civilization. The white light in the piece symbolizes the activation of the nuclear button, marking a point of no return in human history.
Another significant work, "Dyson Sphere," presents Wang's vision of humanity's energy future. Through an innovative collage of electronic waste, the piece showcases a conceptual future energy installation and conveys the possibility of harmonious coexistence between environmental protection and technological innovation.
Dyson Sphere
Acrylic on canvas, 2024
This artwork depicts a futuristic Dyson Sphere, symbolizing the future of energy for humanity. I repurposed e-waste to create this collage piece. Environmentalism isn't exclusive to innovation; innovations like Dyson Spheres can be key to achieving lasting sustainability.
Meanwhile, "2124" powerfully warns of nuclear disaster's destructive consequences through distorted architectural clusters and charcoal-black figures, with tattered flags hinting at war's futility.
2124
Acrylic on canvas, 2023
This artwork depicts a distorted city after a nuclear explosion, with twisted buildings and charcoal-black human shadows, warning of the devastating consequences of a nuclear disaster. The flag is in tatters-who still cares what the war was about?
These works represent Wang's artistic exploration over the past three years. As an interdisciplinary artist, he actively combines traditional creation with new technologies. He previously used VR technology to recreate Shakespearean scenes from Macbeth in his high school English class, bringing traditional literature to life.
His innovative VR viewing system for Chinese ink scroll paintings, which solved the viewing challenges of the ancient masterpiece "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains," earned him third place at the 2023 Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair (BASEF), one of the Greater Toronto Area's most prestigious youth science competitions.
"Steampunk's visual impact makes serious themes more accessible," Wang explains, noting that the retro-futuristic style is particularly suited for exploring critical issues like environmental protection, warfare, and technological ethics. This approach has contributed to his repeated selection for exhibition at QEPCCC's Youth Corridor Gallery. Nearly a hundred visitors daily attendance during the four-month exhibition demonstrated this artistic form's powerful appeal.
Looking ahead, the Grade 12 student plans to continue exploring the intersection of art, technology, and humanities in university. He hopes to convey environmental awareness through innovative methods and enhance artistic experiences through technology, encouraging more people to contemplate humanity's future.
This exhibition not only showcases young artists' exploration of artistic innovation but also reveals their deep reflection on human destiny.