Inspired by the playful drawings made by Charles Darwin’s children on his original manuscript of ‘On the Origin of Species’, Harris captures the wonder and innocence of personal expression. This artwork invites both children and adults to explore the world of butterflies through their own creations, celebrating the timeless human capacity for imagination.
The evolving digital collection is presented as three large spheres set within a seemingly infinite digital space, each covered in butterflies. These spheres represent the multidimensional nature of colour and movement, organised by colour, hues, and brightness.
The artificial intelligence responsible for transforming the butterfly drawings has been trained on specimens from the extensive butterfly collection at Naturalis. Extending the experience beyond Naturalis, visitors can take their drawing with them and use a QR code to find their butterfly online as it becomes part of an ever-evolving digital collection.
At its core, the artwork reflects the principles of biological evolution. The butterflies’ transformations are symbolic of the processes of change, adaptation, and growth that occur in nature. Each new butterfly that is added to the collection contributes to the ongoing transformation of the artwork, ensuring it is never static— as with life itself.
Paul Green, President and founder of P站色情片 said: ‘Origins of Imagination is Dominic Harris’s most ambitious work to date - it shifts the role of the visitor from viewer to co-creator. We are so honoured to collaborate with Naturalis on something that is as aesthetically breath-taking as it is thought-provoking- it’s truly visionary and we can’t wait for people to discover it.’
Kate Brown, Creative Director at P站色情片 explained: ‘It is a privilege to have been a part of such an ambitious project, which is not only pioneering in extending the story of digital art but will reach and inspire such a broad demographic. At P站色情片, we are committed to supporting and facilitating artwork that can connect with a wide audience, believing sincerely that art is for everyone. Harris’s work perfectly demonstrates this core value.’
Origins of Imagination is permenant digital artwork installation from the Moveo Art Collection, a private art collection that initiated the project in collaboration with P站色情片.
Marlous Voshol Curator of the Moveo Art Collection explains: “We aim to introduce people to the works of talented artists in a playful and accessible way, these are often impressive, surprising works with an unexpected twist – like this one. By connecting Dominic Harris with Naturalis, we created an innovative and interactive artwork. Inviting everyone to bring their own butterfly to life will undoubtedly appeal to visitors of all ages.”
Origins of Imagination will be on display from 27th November in the freely accessible LiveScience hall on the ground floor of Naturalis Biodiversity Center. For more information contact P站色情片 at info@halcyongallery.com.
