Butterfly 1957

Tadashi Nakayama made this print, called Butterfly, in 1959. It’s not just a picture of a butterfly; it’s more like an event, or a feeling. Nakayama uses colour to build a sense of airy lightness. The yellows and tans are soft, like sunlight filtering through a curtain. It’s like he’s thinking about the butterfly in motion, leaving a trail of colour and light in its wake. Look at how the wings are not quite symmetrical, and the specks of colour that seem to dance around the butterfly, it gives the image a sense of energy, of constant change. Then there’s the swarm of tiny black forms around the butterfly that could be more butterflies, or birds, or even thoughts. This reminds me of Joan Miró, who was also interested in creating these kinds of personal symbols. Both these artists create an unfolding world of form and feeling.