spazuk + delhaes use butterfly footprints to create pixelated portrait

spazuk + delhaes use butterfly footprints to create pixelated portrait
all images courtesy of spazuk-delhaes

spazuk-delhaes launched ‘the monarch project’ in order to develop a self-portrait of and by butterflies. the work is the first venture of the ‘reverence series’, a unique collection of works of art based on the traces left by living creatures, symbolizing the precariousness of animal and plant life on earth. rooted in the concept of biophilia, the set intends to stir viewers’ emotions, to surprise, to raise awareness, as well as to cultivate a sense of respect and wonder toward the natural world.

the portrait is born of a passion for the extraordinary insect and the urgency to act to save this species. it involved the collaboration of more than a hundred volunteers across the north american continent. using soot made by lighting a flame below a panel of cardboard, footprints left by thousands of butterflies were respectfully collected within their natural winter habitat of mexico. the resulting printed traces, or ‘entomograms’, were fixed and cut into 1.25 cm pixels exhibiting various shades of grey. the dark and light qualities of each piece were then sorted by hand into different piles according to a key provided by the artists. this assisted the assembly of the squares as they were secured to an orange canvas with entomological pins to create a 150cm by 215cm mosaic.

monarch leaving traces on a soot covered board

the artwork and the film are presently displayed at the insectarium of montreal. engaging workshops aiming at developing a consciousness of the plight of the monarchs and the solutions to help conserve this species and its annual migration are presented in the context of the exhibit. 

results of the process

steven spazuk collecting entomograms 

the butterflies leave traces in the soot

cinematographer jean-nicolas orhon at work

the cut square pixels

more than 100 volunteers contributed to the project 

15000 square pixels were pinned to create the final work 

close up

danielle delhaes assembling the squares

finalizing the transfer of pixels

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.