Butterflies

This insect, carrying a profound symbolism, can be found throughout time in numerous cultures. It symbolizes ephemerality and instability, but also the soul and immortality. At the same time, it is associated with death and rebirth, as well as with sacrifice and spiritual transformation.

Over time, numerous artists – both foreign and Romanian – have translated the beauty and symbolism of the butterfly into art. In the 1950s, Andy Warhol experimented with silkscreen printing, creating greeting cards decorated with butterflies – an early expression of his fascination with this motif (see Gary Garrels, The Work of Andy Warhol). His butterfly on display in the present exhibition illustrates this attraction – a vibrant portrait rendered in the artist’s unmistakable style.

The works in the Butterflies exhibition explore the symbol of the butterfly as a representation of ephemerality, rebirth, and metamorphosis through a variety of styles – from Expressionism and abstraction to pop art and contemporary interpretations.

Artists: Alina Aldea, Alina-Ondine Slimovschi, Andy Warhol, Dan Bota, Felix Aftene, Ion Țuculescu, Laura Greaca, Ligia Macovei, Luigi Puiu, Mihai Rusu, Vincențiu Grigorescu, Viorel Mărginean, Beaver.