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    ‘Butterfly’ Explores 4,000 Years of Our Fascination with Lepidoptera in Art and Science

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    Kerry Miller, “A Handbook to the Order Lepidoptera” (2013), mixed media, 10 1/4 x 16 1/8 × 3 1/8 inches. Photo courtesy of Kerry Miller. All images courtesy of Phaidon, shared with permission

    ‘Butterfly’ Explores 4,000 Years of Our Fascination with Lepidoptera in Art and Science

    September 9, 2025

    ArtBooksNatureScience

    Kate Mothes

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    Since time immemorial, we have been awed by the ornate patterns, metamorphosis, and migrations of butterflies and moths. Their uncanny life stages and spectrum of vibrant colors and textures—both as caterpillars and as adult insects—endlessly inspire wonder.

    Butterfly: Exploring the World of Lepidoptera, a new book forthcoming from Phaidon on October 1, celebrates these distinctive winged creatures throughout art history and science. From portrayals in 4,000-year-old Egyptian artworks to pioneering entomological studies during the Enlightenment to contemporary explorations, the volume surveys our enduring fascination with the insects.

    John Abbot, “Black and Blue Admirable Butterfly and Chestnut-coloured Butterfly” (c.1774–1841), etching from watercolor, 15 3/8 x 11 3/4 inches. Image courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden, Peter H. Raven Library

    So far, scientists have documented about 20,000 species of butterflies in the world, but there are likely more. And in the order of Lepidoptera, which includes moths, estimates of the total number of species range from a staggering 180,000 to 265,000. The largest is known as Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, with a wingspan that can reach up to one foot. And when it comes to moths, a similarly sized wingspan can be found on a Southeast Asian species known as the Atlas Moth.

    Artists have long captured the likeness of butterflies in a range of media as a way to symbolically represent transformation, rebirth, beauty, and purity. More than 250 entries fill Butterfly, including sculptures, photography, paintings, illustrations, textiles, and more, which tap into the myriad ways in which these marvelous bugs pollinate not only our fragile ecosystems but our imaginations, too.

    Pre-order your copy now in the Colossal Shop.

    Ralph Martin, “Old World Swallowtail Wing” (2018), photograph, dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Ralph Martin / BIA / Nature Picture Library

    Rebecca Coles, “British Masters 01” (2017), recycled art books and entomology pins, 39 3/8 x 39 3/8 inches. Image courtesy of TAG Fine Arts

    Anonymous, Atlas Moth (c.1615), gouache on paper, 7 x 4 3/4 inches. Image courtesy of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

    Wardell Milan, “Sunday, Sitting on the Bank of Butterfly Meadow” (2013), chromogenic print, 39 7/8 x 60 inches. Image © Wardell Milan, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco and Sikkema Malloy Jenkins, New York

    Katsushika Hokusai, “Peonies and Butterfly” (1833–4), woodcut print, ink, and color on paper, 10 × 14 5/8 inches. Image courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art

    Cat Johnston, “Moth Creature” (2024), cloth, fur, paint, and epoxy clay Image © Cat Johnston

    Martin Frobenius Ledermüller, “Butterfly Wing Scales” (c.1764), watercolor and ink on paper, 10 x 8 inches. Image courtesy of Biodiversity Heritage Library; Smithsonian Libraries and Archives

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      in Art

      ‘Between the Lines’ Showcases the Subversive Traditions of Art-Making While Incarcerated

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      Djan Shun Lin, “Eagle” (ca. 1994, York County Prison, York County, Pennsylvania), paper and paint. All photos by Addison Doty, courtesy of the Museum of International Folk Art, shared with permission

      ‘Between the Lines’ Showcases the Subversive Traditions of Art-Making While Incarcerated

      September 3, 2025

      ArtSocial Issues

      Grace Ebert

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      Artists aren’t strangers to creative constraints. Perhaps they work full-time and have to sneak in just an hour of painting before bed. Or a grant requires that they follow a particular set of guidelines that push their practice in a new direction. Whatever the situation, artists are often uniquely positioned to find innovative, experimental approaches to making.

      For those included in Between the Lines: Prison Art and Advocacy, which was on view this past month at the Museum of International Folk Art, constraints are plentiful. Featuring an eclectic array of works by incarcerated artists, the group exhibition offers a survey of creativity in confinement.

      Artist name redacted, “Envelope (Austin, Texas)” (June 2002, Snyder, Texas), paper envelope, color pencil, pen

      A primary thread in the exhibition—which tends to connect most artworks made during a period of incarceration—is an innovative use of materials. John Paul Granillo, for example, renders blue pen portraits on a pair of canvas prison-issue shoes. Other drawings appear on envelopes sent to the Coalition For Prisoners’ Rights, a nonprofit project that mailed newsletters inside for several decades.

      There are also several paños, a genre utilizing commissary handkerchiefs, pillowcases, or bedsheets that originated with incarcerated Chicanos in the 20th century. The largely self-taught art form is perhaps one of the best-known traditions to emerge from inside carceral facilities and is a subversive mode of expression: often sent to family and loved ones on the outside, these fabric pieces offer both a way to communicate what might otherwise be censored in letters and a financial opportunity for particularly talented artists who might sell the paños for birthday, anniversary, and other gifts.

      While much of the work comes from facilities in the Southwest and Western states, Between the Lines extends its reach to connect carceral systems across the globe. A vibrantly beaded bird with bold text reading Masallah, or may Allah, comes from 1960s Anatolia. Purchased in 2005 in Istanbul, the piece is a “protective amulet and hung from car rearview mirrors or other places,” the museum says.

      As Brian Karl points out in Hyperallergic, the exhibition is less concerned with prison reform and larger questions of abolition than it is with showcasing the necessity of creating in such a dehumanizing environment. The eagle, a motif associated with freedom in the U.S., appears in several works and speaks to the lack of agency and autonomy in such a punishing system. When people are very literally confined with meager, if any, resources for self-expression, creating becomes both a mode of survival and a revolutionary act. As the exhibition’s title suggests, prison art is always bound up with advocacy and requires makers to find defiance in interstitial spaces.

      John Paul Granillo, “Shoes with ink drawing” (2011–2012, Federal Correctional Institution, Ray Brook, New York), blue pen ink, white fabric, rubber

      Michael Guzman, “PA. LA. Casa (To the House)” (1982–1984, New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe), paper, colored pencil, pen. Work courtesy of Stuart Ashman in honor of the talented inmates at the New Mexico State Penitentiary

      Artist name redacted, “Envelope (buffalo skull and stepped chevron design)” (October 2005,Salinas Valley State Prison, Soledad, California), paper envelope, color pencil, pen

      Artist unrecorded, “Picture Frame” (1980s, New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe), plastic-coated gum wrappers, photograph

      Artist unrecorded, “Amulet” (1960–1970, Anatolia, Republic of Türkiye), glass beads, cotton string, sequins, stuffing

      J.D., “Te Amo (I Love You)” (2018–2020, Cibola County Correctional Center, Milan, New Mexico), torn cotton bedsheets and ink

      Carlos Cervantes, “Hispanic History in the Southwest” (1996, New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe), cotton handkerchief, lead pencil, colored pencils, ink pens

      Ray Materson, “Where Are You Now” (1990, Somers, Connecticut), sock thread, silk, fiber

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    • 125 Shares132 Views

      in Art

      Atmospheric Oil Paintings by Martin Wittfooth Illuminate Nature’s Timeless Cycles

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      “Aspect of Summer,” oil on canvas, 36 x 60 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Corey Helford Gallery, shared with permission

      Atmospheric Oil Paintings by Martin Wittfooth Illuminate Nature’s Timeless Cycles

      August 29, 2025

      ArtNature

      Kate Mothes

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      In large-scale, elaborate oil paintings of powerful, glowing creatures, Martin Wittfooth explores the timeless cycles and forces of nature in a celebration of the sublime. Known for his enigmatic and atmospheric depictions of wild animals in dystopian settings, the artist blends traditional European painting techniques with critical contemporary concerns surrounding the human impact on the environment.

      Wittfooth’s new solo exhibition, Deus Ex Terra at Corey Helford Gallery, features 19 new oil paintings on canvas, linen, or wood panels. Some take the form of tondos 18 to 24 inches in diameter, while others assume vast proportions, like “Duel,” a diptych that spans 12 feet wide. The stallion also appears as a regular embodiment of elemental forces, like in “Aspect of Fire” or “Aspect of Air,” in which silhouettes of powerful horses made of molten rock or clouds of steam rear up into towering positions.

      “Aspect of Earth,” oil on panel, 48 x 36 inches

      The show’s title, Deux Ex Terra, loosely translates to “god out of the earth.” It’s a nod to the ancient Greek and Roman phrase deux ex machina, which describes a dramatic or literary device in which a character or a “god” is introduced into the plot to solve a seemingly insolvable conflict. During a play, the character would be introduced via a crane, hence the “machine.” Wittfooth flips this notion back to nature and the elemental forces of the earth—weather, orbits, the seasons, life, water—to explore cyclical, self-sustaining rhythms.

      “The Hermetic maxim, ‘As above, so below; As within, so without,’ has echoed through centuries of philosophical, mystical, and artistic inquiry,” the gallery says. “In Deus ex Terra, this principle serves as a guiding thread, illuminating the ways nature repeats its patterns across scale and time: in the branching of rivers and the veins of leaves, in the spiral of galaxies and the coiling of shells, in the cyclical turning of seasons and the rhythms of breath and heartbeat.”

      In earlier work, Wittfooth concentrated on the strained relationship between humans and nature, with its effects revealed in the form of piles of plastic or shorn tree trunks. In his current work, he reflects on the instinctive and enduring facets of nature—the “ancient rhythms that prevail despite our human tumult,” the gallery says. “In a time of deep cultural and ecological upheaval, these paintings offer an invitation to acknowledge, to remember, and perhaps to heal.”

      Deus Ex Terra opens tomorrow and continues through October 4 in Los Angeles. Explore more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      “Aspect of Fire,” oil on panel, 48 x 36 inches

      “Parallelism 5 (Jellyfish 1),” oil on wood, 24 inches diameter

      “Aspect of Spring,” oil on canvas, 56 x 58 inches

      “Duel,” oil on panel, diptych, 36 x 144 inches

      “Aspect of Winter,” oil on canvas, 50 x 57 inches

      “Parallelism 4 (Snail),” oil on wood, 18 inches diameter

      “Aspect of Air,” oil on panel, 48 x 36 inches

      “Aspect of Autumn, “oil on canvas, 46 x 64 inches

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    • 125 Shares162 Views

      in Art

      Steve Keister Conjures Mythological Creatures from Clay, Wood, and Cardboard

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      “Moondog” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 16.5 x 11.5 x 28.5 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Derek Eller Gallery, shared with permission

      Steve Keister Conjures Mythological Creatures from Clay, Wood, and Cardboard

      August 19, 2025

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      From glazed ceramic, coated cardboard, wood, and acrylic paint, Steve Keister summons mythical beings and enigmatic animal-human hybrids. The artist’s current exhibition, Split Level at Derek Eller Gallery, is a survey of work made during the past eight years, glimpsing the artist’s ongoing exploration of Pre-Columbian art and architecture.

      Keister’s mixed-media sculptures initially emerged from experiments with salvaged styrofoam and cardboard packing cartons, which evoked the bold, blocky forms of Mesoamerican architecture like Aztec stone carvings and Mayan step pyramids.

      “Leaf-Nose Bat” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 23 x 33 x 6.5 inches

      Through ongoing series like Bio Meso, Batz, and Masked Figures, Keister merges painting, sculpture, and craft techniques into three-dimensional portrayals of what the gallery describes as “bespoke deities that pay homage to Pre-Columbian myth.” Some creatures, like “Xoloitzcuintle,” represent real animals—in this case, a species of hairless dog.

      Hybrid creatures like “Standing Bat II” and “Coyote Man” tap into oral histories and belief systems that span North America. Bats are historically emblematic of the boundary between life and death. And Coyote, a potent character in the folklore of numerous Indigenous North American peoples, is variously a magician, creator, glutton, and trickster.

      Keister’s compositions range from wall reliefs to freestanding, monument-like sculptures to sprawling floor pieces. “At the core of his ethos is a profound interest in human and animal consciousness,” the gallery says. “Keister extrapolates his subjects from Central American mythology to develop a complex ecosystem of mystical fauna.”

      Split Level continues through August 22 in New York City. Explore more on the artist’s website.

      “Coyote Man” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, cement, 66 x 16.5 x 17.5 inches

      “Xoloitzcuintle” (2025), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood with found object, 25 x 20 x 33 inches

      “Red Tabby” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 11 x 14 x 3.5 inches

      “Cosmic Crocodile” (2017), coated cardboard, glazed ceramic, cement and acrylic on wood, 5 x 32 x 55 inches

      “Contrapposto” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 30 x 24 x 4 inches

      “Standing Bat II” (2022), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, cement, 65 x 48 x 12 inches

      “Mictlantecuhtli” (2017), coated cardboard and acrylic on masonite on wood, 37.25 x 41 x 6.25 inches

      “Lateral Bat” (2024), glazed ceramic and acrylic on wood, 40.25 x 24 x 4.25 inches

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    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Art

      Kirsty Elson’s Spirited Creatures Breathe New Life into Weathered Driftwood

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      All images courtesy of Kirsty Elson, shared with permission

      Kirsty Elson’s Spirited Creatures Breathe New Life into Weathered Driftwood

      August 1, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Grace Ebert

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      Wander into Kirsty Elson’s Cornwall studio, and you’ll likely greet a menagerie of creatures alongside scraps of driftwood and rusted bits of metal. Scouring local beaches and embankments, the artist (previously) has an impeccable ability to envision a piglet’s ear or a dog’s snout from a weathered hunk of timber. Once in her studio, quirky characters emerge from scratched and worn materials, their lively personalities shining through the signs of age.

      Elson sells some of her sculptures on her website, and you can follow her work on Instagram.

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    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Art

      Whittled Wood Sculptures by Brett Stenson Conjure Curiosity and Longing

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      All images courtesy of Brett Stenson, shared with permission

      Whittled Wood Sculptures by Brett Stenson Conjure Curiosity and Longing

      July 24, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

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      When Portland-based artist Brett Stenson was studying illustration in college, he hung out with a few industrial designers with whom he pored over how things were made. “We spent a lot of late nights watching 3D modeling tutorials, geeking out over sculpted clay figures, and rewatching the Wētā Workshop DVD about building The Lord of the Rings sets,” he tells Colossal. Stenson was especially fascinated by the world of vinyl toys and wished he knew how to make his own, even though the learning curve felt steep.

      The artist’s interests began to shift as he considered more approachable mediums to achieve what he wanted to make. “Even then, wood always felt like the material I connected with most,” he says. “I was drawn to antique and vintage objects—things that felt like they had been made by hand, with warmth and intention. Vinyl, as cool as it was, never quite resonated in the same way.”

      In 2018, Stenson signed up for a workshop at Wildcraft, a studio school based in Portland, to learn how to make Norse carved-wood Christmas ornaments. “Suddenly, I could see the endless possibilities—if I could sketch it, I could carve it,” the artist says. “The tools, the process, even the idea of becoming one of those old guys who wanders around a woodworking store all day—it all felt deeply romantic and aligned with who I wanted to grow into.”

      Stenson started with a simple knife and began whittling away at hunks of timber, only to find that he quickly needed to upgrade to better tools so that the process didn’t take forever. He also introduced clay modeling, composing animals, figures, and other objects in a more malleable material before committing to wood. Focused on whittling bears and other woodland creatures, which often carry freshly plucked fish or flowers, he emphasizes emotional perception through animals—the sweet slyness of a fox or a charming bear proud of its fresh catch.

      “Lately, my obsession with carving bears has started to shift,” Stenson says. “I find myself more interested in exploring the human side of my work.” Since the recent loss of his dog, he’s been exploring a theme that, at least at first, seems unrelated, but outdated technology like retro televisions, satellites, old computers, and disused telecom gear play into what he describes as “a kind of futile attempt to communicate with him again.” He adds that he’s interested in how there “all these tools we built to connect with one another, and yet the afterlife remains out of reach.”

      Stenson is also the Senior Art Director of Young Jerks, a branding and packaging design studio based in Brooklyn. See more work on his website and Instagram, and find screen prints for sale in his shop.

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    • 100 Shares179 Views

      in Art

      Unity and Resilience Flow Through Taquen’s Gestural Compositions

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      Unity and Resilience Flow Through Taquen’s Gestural Compositions

      July 10, 2025

      ArtSocial Issues

      Jackie Andres

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      In large-scale minimalist compositions, street artist Taquen covers the sides of houses, hospitals, and street barriers with reminders of strength and mutual understanding.

      Often depicting animals in motion, kinetic portraits, and expressive hands, Taquen’s expansive works exude momentum. The importance of movement reflects a central tenet of the artist’s practice, as he visits different parts of the world to work on murals.

      One of his recent excursions was made possible by The Jaunt, a residency program that creates opportunities for artists to travel to a new destination to spark inspiration and connection. In February, Taquen made the journey from his hometown of Madrid to Africa to participate in the Sahara Marathon.

      Established in 2001 to advocate for and demonstrate solidarity with the Sahrawi people, the international event takes place in close proximity to Tindouf, Algeria, a region that has been marked by the Western Sahara Conflict and humanitarian crisis for decades.

      In 1975, when Spain relinquished its colonial rule over the Western Sahara region, a power vacuum erupted between neighboring countries, leading to the Madrid Accords. This agreement heavily ignored the voices of Indigenous Sahrawi people who were forced into displacement, eventually settling into refugee camps that still reside in the Algerian desert approximately fifty years later.

      The long-standing conflict has faded in and out of headlines for decades, but the Sahara Marathon has continued to shine a light on the resilience of the Sahrawi people. “It was a project that allowed me to combine my greatest passions—art and sport—and also to contribute as much as possible to this unjust cause,” Taquen shares.

      The artist’s resulting silkscreen print demonstrates his experiences in Tindouf. Featuring two gestural hands with bold line work that subtly nods to henna, Taquen references young Sahrawi women, who play a vital role in the desert’s society. “During the marathon, for example, they were the ones who encouraged us the most,” the artist shares. “In the houses where we lived, they took care of us, their families, and so on. They are an example.”

      Arabic text lies below, alluding to a phrase that resonated with Taquen along the way. “The Sahrawi people living in the refugee camps call this place ‘the desert in the desert,’ which is meant both geographically and metaphorically. I knew I wanted to reference that in my artwork,” he says.

      Beyond the limited-edition print, Taquen also created a four-color risograph portrait combining line drawings and analog photography. And before leaving the refugee camps, the artist hosted two art workshops for children, sharing, “at the end of the day, these are boys and girls who do not speak my language, but through drawing we were able to express ourselves. It taught me a lot about their ideas and their hopes for the future.”

      The artist is currently in Sicily completing the Graniti Murales residency and has a busy year coming up including an art festival this summer and a solo exhibition in the fall. Keep up with his work on Instagram, and learn more on his website.

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    • 125 Shares129 Views

      in Art

      Tenderly Crocheted Sculptures by Caitlin McCormack Contend with Existential Dread

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      “Let’s Get Demonized (Instructional Polyhedron).” Photos by Jason Chen. All images courtesy of Caitlin McCormack, shared with permission

      Tenderly Crocheted Sculptures by Caitlin McCormack Contend with Existential Dread

      July 10, 2025

      ArtCraft

      Kate Mothes

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      Caitlin McCormack is known for her crocheted, skeletal animals and otherworldly plants that nod to a speculative future in which the earth has endured environmental catastrophe. Motifs of skeletal baby birds and mammals read as cautionary tales about the human relationship with nature today and how much more disconnected—and disastrous—it could become.

      Through crochet, with which we often associate domestic comfort and even quaintness, the artist channels a nostalgic medium to peer more closely at what we ignore in the present. Bundles of stones and knick-knacks encased in lacy fibers are complemented by skeletal specimens and strange botanical sculptures.

      “Never Let the Party Die”

      A new body of work that goes on view this weekend in There You Will Find the Stone at Harman Projects. The show includes a nebulous, blue wall sculpture titled “Earth Before Eyeballs Existed,” containing niches for tiny bundles of found objects. Pairing a slightly unnerving hue and a collection of tenderly crocheted packets, McCormack illuminates a reverence for tiny overlooked or discarded items.

      Many of the titles of the artist’s pieces express a sense of dread, tension, or excess. A series of bundles titled They Come Back But They’re Never the Same and sculptures like “Don’t Let the Party Die” hint at a human crisis of control. “You Picked the Wrong One,” with a nest of unsettling, skeletal baby birds, brims with foreboding.

      McCormack’s recent work emerges also from her attempts to process loss and illness in her family, including her own medical diagnoses. “These experiences have catalyzed a reevaluation of deep-rooted existential positions, specifically those grounded in skepticism, atheism, and a lifetime of anxiety,” she says in a statement. These pieces “serve as manifestations of an evolving worldview shaped by grief, loss, and an obsessive search for meaning.”

      There You Will Find the Stone runs from July 12 to August 2 in New York City. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.

      “Earth Before Eyeballs Existed”

      Detail of “Earth Before Eyeballs Existed”

      “Milkvetch, How Much More Can They Hold”

      Detail of “Milkvetch, How Much More Can They Hold”

      “They Come Back But They’re Never the Same V”

      “You Picked the Wrong One”

      Detail of “You Picked the Wrong One”

      Detail of “Never Let the Party Die”

      “I Came Here to Try to Have a Good Time”

      Detail of “I Came Here to Try to Have a Good Time”

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    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in Art

      Raqib Shaw’s 100-Foot-Wide Autobiographical Painting Traces a Journey of Exile and Self-Discovery

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      Detail of “Paradise Lost” (2009–25). All images courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago, shared with permission

      Raqib Shaw’s 100-Foot-Wide Autobiographical Painting Traces a Journey of Exile and Self-Discovery

      July 8, 2025

      Art

      Grace Ebert

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      In 1999, Raqib Shaw began pulling at the threads of what would become an autobiographical painting of loss and beauty. He had recently fled his native Kashmir for New Delhi and later London, where he enrolled at Central Saint Martins. Political upheaval sparked his departure and sent him into permanent exile, a destabilizing event that left him longing for home and required a courageous act of self-reinvention.

      As epic as the 17th-century poem that shares its name, “Paradise Lost” is the culmination of these experiences. Composed of 21 panels that stretch 100 feet wide, the monumental work traces four chapters of the artist’s life, from childhood to 2015. Although Shaw first began thinking about the painting in 1999, he didn’t begin working on it in earnest until 2009. Today, the allegorical piece is on view for the first time in its entirety at the Art Institute of Chicago.

      “Paradise Lost” (2009–25)

      In an essay about the work, Shaw describes metaphor as central to the painting’s narrative. “In Kashmir, metaphor is intrinsic to the way people speak and think,” he says. “Metaphor, rather than directness, conveys meaning with the greatest precision and depth.”

      The painting begins on the left, with a seated figure howling at the moon. Set in the Karakoram mountain ranges of Shaw’s youth, the scene reflects the innocence, solitude, and inner calm the artist associates with his childhood. Moving right reveals a bird being freed from its cage, a figure tied up while surrounded by ferocious snakes, and finally, a small hut devoid of all luxuries. This robe-clad subject is a self-portrait of the artist with his beloved dog, although he points out that he considers the painting to be more universal, writing:

      It is a story of the many paradises we inevitably lose as we move through life: the paradise of childhood, of innocence, of excitement and anticipation, of novelty. We lose the ease of belonging and the calm of that mental stillness that comes from lack of anxiety. And while these losses are deeply personal, they are surely universally felt. We all carry such losses as we move through life and construct inner worlds in response.

      To create such dazzling scenes with immense precision, Shaw utilizes syringes and porcupine quills to apply enamel paints typically used by the auto industry. Acrylic liner on gesso creates “a golden line almost like the leading of a stained glass window,” and inlaid stones and other small materials add glittering depth.

      While “Paradise Lost” deals with heavy themes of displacement and grief, Shaw shares that beauty is at its center. “Not beauty as ornament but as necessity. I believe deeply that art has the power to transform sorrow into meaning, and it has this wonderful quality to alchemize personal pain into something luminous and enduring,” he writes.

      “Paradise Lost” is on view through January 19, 2026. Find more from Shaw on his website and Instagram.

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