The Butterfly, a favored subject matter in contemporary art, is fully reimagined by Charles Patrick and presented to the viewer in a dynamic way.
While the observer may assume Charles Patrick’s work is a construct of specific meaning, any derived metaphor is far from intentional. The artist notes, “I never thought of any symbolism, like the money is flying away, or fleeting. I don’t really have an affinity for butterflies, and I never read a comic book in my life. I just think the colors are great. But that’s not what it’s about. It’s about just using these organic shapes to make something else.”
Despite this point of view, the emblematic nature is undeniably present. Symbolic of metamorphosis and the antithesis of remaining static, a butterfly aptly lends itself to reinterpretation. So too, does the life of the artist and viewer alike. In an environment tirelessly changing, solace can be found in the notion of transforming an object of nostalgia into a representation of movement. The tangible memory of a treasured comic book or a beloved childhood story is reformed into a new object of love.