madame butterfly 2015

Camilla d'Errico's "madame butterfly" is made with paint, though I can't tell you when exactly, it feels very now, doesn't it? The muted palette and soft-focus render a portrait of girl adorned with butterflies, like a halo. There's such care put into the gradient and colour change in each butterfly wing, like d'Errico is determined to get it just right, which is interesting because the girl's expression is passive, like she has no say in the matter. Look at the single white butterfly just to the side of her head. It's a small detail, but its placement makes it seem like a thought bubble, perhaps a representation of her desire to be free. I'm reminded of Mark Ryden's surreal and unsettling paintings of wide-eyed girls in otherworldly landscapes, which share this interest in the contrast between innocence and darker undercurrents. Ultimately, what the painting means is open to your interpretation. Enjoy the ambiguity.