A signature series from the underwater photographic artists oeuvre

The butterfly is widely significant in different cultures; symbolising love, regeneration, fortune, freedom, spirituality and death. The connection Greek Mythology draws between butterflies and the souls of those who have passed away is of particular interest to me. 'Swarm' explores these subject in hyper-real and painterly aesthetic prisms which are created through the light from the water's wave energy interacting with the scene.

I breed these remarkable creatures myself and through this process a strong dialogue becomes apparent. This delicate creature undergoes an epic transition - unquestioningly embracing both her body and changing environment - expending energy on a huge scale to make it happen. It is as if she thereby asks us to accept the changes in our lives as abidingly as she does.

Imagining the whole of your life changing to such an extreme that you are unrecognizable at the end offers great hope to me. 'Swarm' explores these themes through the introduction of water, believing that drawing on water's transient and destructive nature exposes the fragility of life and the temporary nature of our existence since it acts as both nurturer and destroyer; having the power to cleanse and reinvent or to drown and disappear.

For me, this series acts as a reflection on life and mortality and how it is fleeting, beautiful and ultimately, tragic.

NB. this project was completed by 2012, in 2013 I started work on another butterfly series titled 'Transparency of a dream'

‘Morpho Amathonte 0219’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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2011. ‘Morpho Amathonto 0220’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face. Face mounted with museum grade anti-reflect acrylic.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 0316’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 4330’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 4326’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 4313’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 4308’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Danaus Chrysippus 4176’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Danaus Chrysippus 4429’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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2011. ‘Morpho Adonis 0116’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

Face mounted with museum grade anti-reflect acrylic.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Alexandrovana’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Caligo Eurilochus’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 0944’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium

Box framed in ash behind museum glass.

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‘Morpho Peleides 0939’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Amathonte 0005’

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Peleides 1075’ dated 2012.

C-Type print, mounted to polished aluminium with a/r acrylic face.

'snug' framed in a narrow sight edged deep walnut.

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‘Morpho Amathonte 0334’, dated 2012

Chromogenic print, unmounted and unframed

signed, dated & annotated verso

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