"A butterfly in space excites my imagination. Freed from rhetoric I lose myself in time"

Mark Grotjahn's expansive oil on linen presents his signature butterfly motif as a dynamic burst of radiating lines emanating from multiple vanishing points, evoking both cosmic energy and organic symmetry. Rich, heavily worked layers of paint build a luminous surface where bold color intersects with geometric precision, suspending the viewer between structure and sensation. The work invites a meditative surrender to pure visual experience, dissolving narrative in favor of rhythm, depth, and the boundless feeling of open space.

Medium: oil on linen
Spotted At: Auction House · Phillips

🔨 Auction Lot

Contemporary Art Evening Sale

November 11, 2013

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More by Mark Grotjahn

Untitled (Tuscan Red and Pink Rose Butterfly 45.90)

2015

"The ‘Face Paintings’ allow me to express myself in a way that the ‘Butterflies’ don’t. I have an idea as to what sort of face is going to happen when I do a ‘Face Painting,’ but I don’t exactly know what color it will take, or how many eyes it’s going to have, whereas the ‘Butterflies’ are fairly planned out. They’re still intuitive, but I generally know where they are going. It’s a different kind of freedom, a different kind of expressionism. It’s personal without being overtly personal."