Artists capture life, journey of colorful butterfly

Every year monarch butterflies journey 2,500 miles from Canada to their winter home in Michoacan, Mexico, flying between 50 miles and 80 miles per day. Their perseverance and beauty has inspired people throughout North America, including the 37 artists whose work is featured in "Sanctuary: The Flight of the Majestic Monarch" at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum through Sept. 19.

This is the U.S. premiere of the exhibit, which was put together by a Mexican conservationist group and has been touring Europe. Much of the text is in both Spanish and English.

"They created this exhibit as a view of the art and culture about how the monarch butterfly has affected the consciousness of the Mexican people," said Alvaro Ramos, vice president of exhibitions and museum experience.

The exhibit, which contains 45 pieces of art, opens with a video of a rapidly increasing number of butterflies flapping their wings against a dark screen. Visitors progress into a gallery showing a mix of stark black-and-white paintings of butterflies on branches and vibrant photographs of trees that seem to be entirely covered with orange wings. Other photos show the butterflies up close on thistle blooms or against beautiful mountain landscapes. An impressive 12-foot chain of butterfly-shaped kites is displayed along with a video of Michoacan children making them.

Art mediums include collage and paintings on bone. One room features a bench where you can watch video of the butterflies projected on three walls. Another room features a table and tiles representing the stages of the insect's life cycle. Placing the tiles produces video showing caterpillars, chrysalis or mature butterflies.

"Through art we interpret nature," Ramos said. "Scientists have a particular perspective through which they unravel nature. Artists make it accessible to everyone else."

The art is interspersed with scientific details on the butterflies and their migration. While monarchs weigh less than a gram, they move in such numbers that branches have been known to break under their collective weight. Their life spans are so short that no one insect makes the entire journey. Along the way, the butterflies lay eggs on milkweed plants. When the caterpillars hatch, they feast and then transform. The fifth generation will return to Mexico, using inborn solar compasses to guide them.

Milkweed is always in abundant supply, but the Oyamel fir forests in Michoacan where they winter are in danger of deforestation. One of the goals of the exhibit is to raise awareness of their vulnerability. The issue is especially important locally as Chicago has the largest population of people from Michoacan outside of Mexico.

Chicago-based artist Hector Duarte, a Michoacan native, created a wall of monarch-themed murals for the exhibit and will be working on another mural during its run. You can see the piece progress just outside the exhibit space and even see Duarte at work on certain days.

Several free programs are planned in conjunction with the exhibit and museum admission.

While the butterflies will sweep through Chicago in September, you can get an up-close look at these colorful insects with "Monarch Magic" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 5, and Aug. 14.

There also will be special programs where children can make monarch mobiles from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 19, and July 31.

Dr. Doug Taron, the Nature Museum's curator of biology, will share his research on monarch butterflies at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 21. Reservations are recommended by contacting adultprograms@naturemuseum.org.

Visitors can see Duarte at work on the museum's mural from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursdays, June 3, 17 and 24 and July 1, 8 and 15. Kids and adults also can create an art project from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays, June 4, 18 and 25 and July 2, 9 and 16.

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>'Sanctuary: The Flight of the Majestic Monarch'</b></p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Where:</b> The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Drive, Chicago, (773) 755-5100, www.chias.org</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Hours:</b> 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday</p>

<p class="factboxtext12col"><b>Admission: </b>$9, $7 seniors and students, $6 kids ages 3 to 12; free Thursdays</p>