Symbolic Photography: Butterflies Escape from Broken Watch by Elianne van Turennout

About "Symbolic Photography: Butterflies Escape from Broken Watch"

by Elianne van Turennout

About the artwork

This picture shows a hand holding a watch, with the glass of the dial lying in shards. Butterflies appear to escape from the broken watch case, each with a numeral on the underside of their wings, as if representing the hours flying out of the watch. The wings of the butterflies are colourful and ornate, ranging from deep blue to bright orange, providing a beautiful contrast to the silver and gold tones of the watch.

The scene is steeped in symbolism and evokes a sense of impermanence. The broken dial and the butterflies indicating time suggest that time cannot be held, no matter how hard one tries. The hand holding the watch firmly symbolises the human desire to control time, while the butterflies, elusive and free, represent the inevitable fleetingness of time.

This visual representation of the saying 'Time flies' invites the viewer to reflect on how we experience time. The broken state of the watch may indicate the fragility of our understanding of time and our attempts to measure and manage it. The butterflies, often associated with change and transformation, reinforce the idea that time is constantly moving and eluding us.

The picture balances art and symbolism in a beautiful way, with the interplay of light, colour and composition giving deeper meaning to an everyday truth: how quickly time passes and how we can never really get a grip on it, no matter how much we would like to.