⤣ SERIESMetamorphosis: Swallowtails
Dominic Harris’ Metamorphosis: Solo Swallowtails is a collection of artworks that celebrate and pay homage to the delicate beauty and complexity of the natural world. These intricate studies continue his fascination with butterflies, this time seeking to capture the essence of the Swallowtail butterflies. He highlights their colours, forms, and the iridescence that makes them so enchanting.
Harris digitally hand-paints the butterflies on a tablet, layer by layer, imbuing them with life and iridescence. As he and his team craft the controlling code, the butterflies are set free, their wings shimmering with the magic of structured color – a celebration of the microscopic patterns that manipulate light and create ever-changing hues. Through this blending of art and technology, he exhibits a fidelity to nature through his signature execution of digital color and code.
Inviting viewers to engage with the artwork, Harris fosters a deeper connection with the subjects and encourages reflection on the fragility of nature and humanity's role within it. He weaves a delicate tapestry of interconnected life, capturing the ethereal essence of his nine chosen subjects. Each, inspired by a real species, unites in a collective constellation, evoking a sense of unity and interconnectedness.
The Swallowtails are utilized as a symbol – a reminder of the transient nature of existence, the delicate balance of life, and the power of transformation. In their collective dance, we see a reflection of our own interconnectedness, the strength that lies in unity, and our place in the intricate web of life.
The Collection
Images
Information
Year:
2023
Edition:
Edition of 8 + 2 AP + 2 MP
Materials:
Code, electronics, display, sensors, aluminium
Details:
Display of the complete set of 9 artworks: [in rows from the top, left to right] Old World Swallowtail; Common Banded Peacock; Tropical Leafwing; Periander Metalmark; Yellow Raja; Chinese Peacock; Noble Leafwing; Mocker Swallowtail; Violet-spotted Emperor
Available individually, or as the full set of 9 butterflies.
Each frame is networked for interactivity between butterfly canvases.
Dimensions (Metric):
757 (W) x 757 (H) x 104 (D) mm, framed (each)
2670 (W) x 2670 (H) x 104 (D) mm (full set, recommended overall size)
Dimensions (imperial):
29.8 (W) x 29.8 (H) x 4.1 (D) inches, framed (each)
105 (W) x 105 (H) x 4.1 (D) inches (full set, recommended overall size)
Commissioned by:
Context
Fascination with the butterfly is not a recent phenomenon in the art world. From Vincent van Gogh to Salvador Dalí, the butterfly has presented itself as a timeless kindred spirit, offering a variety of interpretations many of which have had a long-standing presence in popular culture, film and literature, as well as art. With their enormous palette of colours, as well as their fragility and variety, butterflies have often been used to symbolise aspects of human nature.
The wide range of interpretations is as far-reaching as the many species of butterfly found across the world. One of the more compelling in art history has been the representation of humanity’s capability for transformation. Contemporary artists of different mediums have grasped this historical precedence and upheld the numerous symbolic references, so that the butterfly has come to signify a ubiquitous theme: the duality of life and death.
Dominic Harris has built upon these foundations by using the butterfly not only as an art piece, but also as a design object. The viewer is in the direct gaze of Harris’s interpretation as well as the butterfly’s natural creative spirit, allowing new discourses between the audience, the artist and these colourful insects to take shape.
Artists understand that the representation of life is just as impactful as that of rebirth and death. Harris has chosen the former with Baby Flutter (2012), which comprises a series of interactive LCD screens featuring ten living portraits of different butterfly specimens, each with their own characteristics. In order to highlight the intricate details of their wings, they are programmed to change from resting pose to flight mode as the viewer approaches the artwork.
This interactivity is key, as it demonstrates the playfulness and splendour of each flutter. Although Baby Flutter provides a controlled environment in which to witness the exquisite movement of each butterfly, it reaches far beyond the LCD screen, presenting the viewer with a unique combination of the high-tech design of the artwork and the butterfly itself.
The continuous fluid motion of flight is made possible by the actions of the viewer, creating a new cycle between the individual and the artwork. Rather than a natural cycle of life and death, it is a continuous cycle of being, which brings to the fore a celebration of life, play and gracefulness.
Text by Harman Bains
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