Anne ten Donkelaar created the series ‘Broken Butterflies’ out of a collection of damaged butterflies. Looking at them, Anne decided to repair each one differently according to their needs. She restored body parts using gold, old maps, roots, threads and embroidery and gave the insects new names, names that reveal something about their recovery. For example the The ‘Blauw spinner’ looked like it had died the moment it hatched from its cocoon. So Anne made the body hang from a twig wrapped with blue thread. A few threads are still hanging loose , almost as though the butterfly is slowly unwinding and breaking free from its cocoon.
All images © Anne ten Donkelaar
Nov 25, 2012 · 22:45
Damn... those butterflies are really nice... its a shame that they are dead. But everything goes the same way... Bye! Jens
May 03, 2013 · 15:03
One of the 'butterflies' is actually a moth (Atlas) and butterflies unfortunately do not emerge from cocoons (that's a moth thing).
Sophie - Lepidopterist
May 17, 2013 · 19:05
B.u.t.y