Flutter of Butterflies Beyond Borders in Layered Ultrasubjective Space

teamLab, 2018, Interactive Digital Installation, Endless

Flutter of Butterflies Beyond Borders in Layered Ultrasubjective Space

teamLab, 2018, Interactive Digital Installation, Endless

This artwork is created from countless semi-transparent images of butterflies.


The work starts when the butterflies from Flutter of Butterflies Beyond Borders enter the Infinite Transparency space in teamLab Borderless. The butterflies propagate in Infinite Transparency, dancing in the space. But when a person approaches, the butterflies die.


Multiple screens are positioned in the exhibition space. The position of the screens is reproduced on a computer in a virtual three-dimensional space, and then the artwork space is “flattened” from multiple viewpoints through Ultrasubjective Space. The flattened space is then placed onto the screens. Ultrasubjective Space allows the space around multiple viewpoints to be cut and rearranged together so that the space of the artwork world is superimposed on the exhibition space.


When a person is seen across the screens, layered with the flutters of butterflies, the person appears as though they themself exist in the artwork world of the butterflies. In other words, a person seen across the screens will become one not only with the exhibition space, but with the artwork world as well.


The artwork is not a pre-recorded image that is played back; it is created by a computer program that continuously renders the work in real time. The interaction between people and the installation causes continuous change in the artwork, so previous visual states can never be replicated, and will never reoccur. The picture at this moment can never be seen again.