Butterfly 1986

Andy Warhol made this "Butterfly", we don't know exactly when, but it is an exploration of color and form. There's a real flatness to this piece. The blocks of color – the purple, the black, that surprising pop of light blue around the edge – they feel distinct, almost like stickers layered on top of each other. The orange lines that define the butterfly's wings have a kind of graphic, almost cartoonish quality. It's like he's saying, "Here's a butterfly, stripped down to its most basic essence." I love how Warhol embraces the imperfections. It's as if he's reminding us that art isn't about perfection, but about the messy, beautiful process of creation. It reminds me a little bit of Ellsworth Kelly’s approach to simplifying forms, but with that unmistakable Warholian twist. It's art as an open-ended conversation, inviting us to bring our own perspectives and experiences to the table.