In my artistic research I am nowadays focussed on the sea, specifically the shoreline. The shoreline as a narrow, and ever-changing strip between land and sea where no vegetables grow and is therefore a useless piece of land for farming. This zone, this narrow and jagged strip that is no longer land but still not sea, is a transformative site. A place where hybrid creatures such as the butterfly man come into being. The work is influenced by Deleuze and Guattari's notion of animal becoming.
IJmuiden, 24 October 2018
It took a while but on the 28th of April 2024, I found some other butterfly men at the coast of Normandie, near Yport. Underneath we see a butterfly man that has just left his home and is now on its way to the sea. In my observations, I've noticed that butterfly-men tend to favor windy conditions. It appears that their wings function optimally in such conditions, enabling them to achieve better flight. Additionally, butterfly-men exhibit competitive behavior; they thrive on speed and enjoy performing aerial maneuvers. Butterfly-men are frequently observed in groups, although some individuals prefer solitude.
Once more, on April 28th, 2024, we encounter the same specie. However, this creature seems to be grappling with his transformation into a butterfly. In the background, another species, the “sea-walkers,” can be observed. The sea-walkers present a unique mode of traversing the ocean: by foot. Unlike typical marine organisms that rely on fins or other specialized appendages for propulsion, sea-walkers navigate the sea using terrestrial-like limbs. Butterfly-men and sea-walkers do not engage in direct communication, yet they coexist peacefully within the same territory and appear to appreciate each other's company. Sea-walkers, like butterfly-men, possess resilient skins. In contrast to butterfly-men, they occasionally wear woolen hats and gloves. Sea-walkers consistently stay near the coastline, moving in heterogeneous groups. In contrast, butterfly-men exhibit more homogeneity.Sea-walkers like to walk in a line behind each other, just like penguins do.
Here is one example of a fully developed butterfly-man. They are best observed from a great distance.