From an early age, butterflies mesmerize. Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar introduces the dramatic metamorphosis of the insect from a slow, land-bound crawler into a fluttering wonder. Their rich coloring could be conjured up at Pixar; their patterns so intricate, they entice us to want to look more closely.
While butterflies make countless appearances throughout art, science, and culture, one of our favorite lepidopterologists (students of butterflies), is Contemporary British artist, Damien Hirst. Nearly 30 years ago, he first showcased this interest in an exhibition entitled "In and Out of Love," wherein he invited viewers to experience butterflies’ beauty, frolicking around live a gallery space. Since then, his work has regularly featured the incredible insects, such as this one from 2015, a group in flight against a monochromatic ground that is placeless, metaphysical.
Damien Hirst, The Wonder of You (Your Feel), 2015
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