Clouds and masses of black paper butterflies have taken over the Fondazione Adolfo Pini museum in Milan, covering the grand staircase, walls, doors, and mirrors. The life-size kaleidoscope of butterflies is part of the 10-year long series Black Cloud by Mexican artist Carlos Amorales and is part of his solo exhibition the Accursed Hour, currently taking place at the Fondazione Adolfo Pini.
The 15,000 paper butterflies surround an installation of paper cut-outs from Amorales’ series Life in the folds, a project of dark human and tree silhouettes which reflects on the theme of human violence against other human beings; the kind of violence that lies deep within and that can explode in unjustified ways. The exhibition curated by Gabi Scardi centers around these two large installations, which intertwine with each other, creating various transitions.
The paper butterflies of various sizes create a rather dramatic scenery, which welcomes the visitor immediately at the entrance hall, and continuous through the spaces of the building. The installation sparks a powerful, emotional reaction in the viewer, as the paper butterflies create a juxtaposition with the historical architecture and surrounding art. The exhibition the Accursed Hour will be open till July 8, 2019, so if you are in Milan, make sure to go see it. You can see more of Amorales’s projects on his Instagram.
Images © Andrea Rossetti