The Butterfly Effect

Are you familiar with this theoretical construct? If not let me define it in one sentence for you: it’s a part of chaos theory that suggest a small change in one thing can lead to a big change in something else at a later date. Take the principle of a tornado; it is argued that its conditions (formation, path etc) can be influenced by the flap of a butterflies’ wings.

Essentially it’s a principle that suggests minor condition changes can create significantly different outcomes. It’s all about determining a set of conditions where a flap could set off a change of events that other outcomes couldn’t. The butterfly couldn’t power or directly create the tornado but it could cause it.

I had been chatting to Adrian about it over a number of weeks (we cover a broad range of topics at the studio) so I thought it would be a good idea to see if I could create some butterfly wings out of resin and pigment. That was it really. I made two shapes that looked like a butterflies’ wings.

Movement and colour

I have trimmed and angled the cast pigment shapes at an angle to promote the feeling of movement away from the carbon fibre base. If we’re talking about the flap of a butterflies’ wings then I need to make it feel like they’re flapping right?

There are some magnificent colour changes and effects in this piece. I think there around nine or ten colours in it (I haven’t counted); they’re very subtle in places and that principle works brilliantly. All in all I put five layers of resin in this artwork.

Considerations

I recommend a spotlight for this piece. Not only will it help you get the full range of tonal shifts but it will also light up the gold pigment on the right hand shape. When it’s lit it really does look like something else. It stops me each time I walk past it in the gallery.

This artwork is shipped ready to hang. Worldwide shipping is available – costs are calculated at the checkout before you decide to buy. If you have any problems please drop me an email.