International works by French street artist Mantra, who has a thing for butterflies – their richly hued scales, their delicate antennae – whether depicted pinned behind the trompe l’oeil of glass display cases or sunning themselves on the side of buildings, as if poised to take flight. Colossal sez:
…the focus on butterflies revolves around his artistic ambitions because the vivid creatures allow him to experiment with color, shape, and texture. Each specimen is rendered freehand before the artist adds detail and the illusory shadows that make them appear three-dimensional. By painting various Lepidoptera species again and again, the artist is “repeating a mantra,” a detail of his practice that informs the moniker he works under.
