SmithDavidson Gallery is glad to announce the launch of "Butterflies Unveiled" a online viewing room that brings together the artistic visions of renowned British artist Damien Hirst and acclaimed German photographer Ingo Arndt. This unique collection of works explores the beauty, power, and natural wonder of butterflies through the distinct lenses of two visionary artists.
Throughout his career, Damien Hirst has worked with the image of the butterfly, one of his best-known motifs. Inspired by a chance encounter in his studio and the intricate patterns found on Victorian tea trays, The Empresses (H-10, 2022) marks a new iteration in Damien Hirst’s exploration of the butterfly as a symbol for freedom, religion, life and death. In "The Empresses" (H-10, 2022), Hirst reimagines butterfly wings in five stunning Giclée prints, each laminated on aluminum composite and screen printed with glitter. These mesmerizing kaleidoscopic patterns, which evoke both flight and stillness, capture the delicate yet dynamic essence of the butterfly. Named after powerful female rulers—Wu Zetian, Nūr Jahān, Theodora, Suiko, and Taytu Betul—Hirst’s works explore themes of life, war, power, anger, love, joy and luck. The vibrant red tones and intricate designs reflect not only the monarchal strength of these women but also the fragility and fleeting nature of existence itself.
Complementing Hirst's symbolic exploration, Ingo Arndt’s photographic project The Migration of Monarch Butterflies takes viewers on a journey through one of nature’s most remarkable phenomena: the annual migration of millions of monarch butterflies. Every late summer, these butterflies travel 4,000 kilometers from the Great Lakes to Mexico's central highlands, where they gather in vast numbers to overwinter.
Ingo Arndt documented this phenomenon over several months, often working at altitudes over 3,500 meters. His photography vividly portrays the resilience and fragility of these butterflies, whose migration spans multiple generations before they return to their ancestral grounds. Arndt’s work not only highlights the beauty and complexity of this natural spectacle but also invites us to marvel at the instinctive knowledge these butterflies possess. Through his lens, we witness their spring emergence, filling the sky with clouds of orange and black, their delicate wings rustling as they prepare for the long return journey north.
Together, Hirst and Arndt’s works offer a dual perspective on the butterfly as both a cultural and ecological symbol—combining art, science, and nature. Through Hirst’s symbolic exploration of life and death, and Arndt’s documentation of one of nature’s most incredible migrations, the exhibition bridges the gap between artistic interpretation and biological wonder. "Butterflies Unveiled" invites viewers to explore these parallel worlds.