glimmer, 2020.
glimmer features the movement of butterfly wings in response to light. When uninterrupted, the wings lay open; when approached, the wings close, triggered by the shadow of the viewer.
The piece evolved into an expression of the dichotomy and hypocrisy of our appreciation for nature and our everyday actions destroying it. From the California Super Bloom being shut down because of the hordes of visitors crushing flowers for their Instagram pictures, to the clothing unsustainably produced by fast fashion brands with flowers and succulents embroidered on the hems, to the greenwashing in response to plastic straws being used to hide even more atrocious acts of corporate environmental devastation, the consequences of our thoughtless actions contradict the apparent intent.
From afar, the iridescent blue of the open wings captures our attention. As we approach, the butterflies react to the shadows we cast, revealing to us the consequences of our actions as they hide what drew us to the display in the first place.
- inspired by the camouflage of blue morpho butterflies