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Hello,

This is not part of a folk art tradition and it involves the use of moths
rather than butterflies, but it may still be of some interest. Experimental
film maker Stan Brakhage used moth wings (and other things such as flower
petals and blades of grass) pressed directly between blank film stock to
make a 4 minute film called "Mothlight" in 1963. (The work that is seen is
a re-photographed version, rather than the 'original' that contains the
actual wings.)

Here are notes used for one screening of the work.
"Mothlight is a paradoxical preservation of pieces of dead moths in the
eternal medium of light (which is life and draws the moth to death) (...)
It is on one level a parable of death and resurrection..." (Ken Kelman)
(http://www.horschamp.qc.ca/new_offscreen/stanbrakhage.html)

There are some frame enlargements at:
http://www.fredcamper.com/Film/BrakhageS.html#Mothlight

Brakhage died in March of this year.  A useful list of links on Brakhage
and his work can be found at:  http://www.fredcamper.com/Film/BrakhageL.html

Regards,

Clifford Davy.



>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Jeff Edmunds" 
>To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" 
>
>----------------- Message requiring your approval (16 lines)
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>From Jeff Edmunds :
>
>These questions passed along from an arts librarian:
>
>Is anyone aware of a folk art tradition that involves the use of actual
>butterfly wings in creating images?
>
>Would any French Nabokovians be aware of any popular works on butterfly
>hunting and collecting published in France ca. 1947-1957? I have turned up
>a few titles but am curious to know if there are any "standard" works from
>that period.
>
>Thanks very much.
>
>Jeff Edmunds