Is it ok to kill a butterfly in the name of art?

humberklog · 04-07-2009 04:36PM #1

This question popped up in the last few days.
I've been doing some interactive shoots with roadkills and the people involved were very helpful and up for anything. Artistic and helpful kinda folks. Job jobbed. The talk in the evening turned to what we had in mind for future shoots and I aired an idea that I've had the imagery of in my mind for quite sometime. It involves butterflies but alas the butterfly wouldn't survive the shoot.

This was met with quite vociferous negativity and I was rather surprised. I thought that either my view is way off the mark or the people I was talking to was very off the mark.

Is it ok to kill a butterfly?

Jimmy the Weed · 04-07-2009 04:39PM

Certainly.

ZappaFrank · 04-07-2009 04:45PM

Have you ever seen Damien Hirsts Faithless? Amazing piece of work, alot of butterflies had to die.

I'd say it's ok to use a butterfly thats common, a rare butterfly would be a no no!

humberklog · 04-07-2009 04:48PM

I'd forgotten all about DH's one. But have been recently reminded.

Thankfully it doesn't resemble DH's work. I did get a bit of a panic on when I was reminded though.

AnimalRights · 04-07-2009 05:01PM

NO

OK-Cancel-Apply · 04-07-2009 05:09PM

We share the planet with all kinds of life. I believe animals should be left alone as much as possible.

Mycroft H · 04-07-2009 05:11PM

NO its certainily not aloud, in fact its illegal to kill some certain species under the wildlife act.

An animal friendy way of photograpging is to get up at sunrise, when there warming themselves in the sun and they will stay still enough to take a photo.

another friendly way is to put the butterfly in the fridge for 1/2 an hour. this will lower their body temp so they will remain quite still when you put them on a flower or a leaf as they will have to warm up before they move

Ricky91t · 04-07-2009 06:23PM

AnimalRights wrote: »

NO

landyman wrote: »

NO its certainily not aloud, in fact its illegal to kill some certain species under the wildlife act.

An animal friendy way of photograpging is to get up at sunrise, when there warming themselves in the sun and they will stay still enough to take a photo.

another friendly way is to put the butterfly in the fridge for 1/2 an hour. this will lower their body temp so they will remain quite still when you put them on a flower or a leaf as they will have to warm up before they move

Gotta' agree with the above,I'm sure you wouldn't like to be killed in the name of art,Find some dead ones,If not then you'll have to get artificial ones or something...

Fajitas! · 04-07-2009 08:17PM

Era, it's only a butterfly...

*runs*

kumate_champ07 · 04-07-2009 08:41PM

Fajitas! wrote: »

Era, it's only a butterfly...

*runs*

ever heard of the butterfly effect? (not the movie)

Fajitas! · 04-07-2009 08:59PM

Yes, which in itself could become a fascinating work of art...

If Humberklog successfully proves or disproves the butterfly effect through use of a photographic study, I'll;

A) Put him forward for the Turner Award...

Let him have at it with another butterfly...

AnCatDubh · 04-07-2009 09:45PM

Like many things in life you need to ask yourself is it necessary or is it indulgent? (needs v wants)

I can't personally comprehend how killing of a butterfly would be necessary so i'd say that the killing of a butterfly for art is purely indulgent and therefore a big no from me too - this coming from a guy who has a jam jar which the kids catch flies that are plaguing the house in this hot and wet weather, and release them in the far corner of the garden - fly paper is disgusting and insect spray is vile - neither of them necessary while I have a large jam jar available and kids to do the running

(recommendation - the larger the jam jar the better folks, it's working a treat)

I think its good that it is something you consider rather than just do it and not think about it.

padocon · 04-07-2009 09:47PM

humberklog wrote: »

This question popped up in the last few days.
I've been doing some interactive shoots with roadkills and the people involved were very helpful and up for anything. Artistic and helpful kinda folks. Job jobbed. The talk in the evening turned to what we had in mind for future shoots and I aired an idea that I've had the imagery of in my mind for quite sometime. It involves butterflies but alas the butterfly wouldn't survive the shoot.

This was met with quite vociferous negativity and I was rather surprised. I thought that either my view is way off the mark or the people I was talking to was very off the mark.

Is it ok to kill a butterfly?

How is a photo-shoot going to kill the butterfly?

Hagar · 04-07-2009 09:48PM

Yes, if you can make another one one to replace it.

kumate_champ07 · 04-07-2009 09:50PM

padocon wrote: »

How is a photo-shoot going to kill the butterfly?

feeding it to a spider?

Liathroidi Dana · 04-07-2009 09:55PM

I'm guessing most of us have at one stage killed another creature, be it a insect of a bird or something.

I think you have to ask yourself is there any way you could do the shot without killing the butterfly and if not, in what way is the butterfly going to die because of the shoot.

Capt'n Midnight · 04-07-2009 10:08PM

How many species are endangered because of collectors ?

ThOnda · 04-07-2009 10:19PM

AnimalRights wrote: »

NO

I do agree with AR - there is nothing wrong with a killing butterfly if there is higher purpose in it, like creating a message that will prevent even if only one accident, prevent one injury, saves one (even my or AR's) life.

pete4130 · 04-07-2009 11:05PM

I say yes, just because the controversial nature of this thread will make your butterfly execution image pseudo famous.

Exeptions to endangered species etc omitted.

MooseJam · 04-07-2009 11:06PM

There's a lot of speciesism here - some people will be aghast at killing a butterfly just because they flutter around and are colourful, while at the same time swatting a fly, it's not the fly's fault they are not beautiful

challengemaster · 04-07-2009 11:11PM

Can you not kill a few spiders instead? fcúking hate those things!!

Ricky91t · 04-07-2009 11:54PM

challengemaster wrote: »

Can you not kill a few spiders instead? fcúking hate those things!!

A common cause of arachnophobia is cause spiders have eight legs...They're harmless really,I've been bitten by a normal sized house spider(i may of provoked it) and i'm still here to tell the tale

challengemaster · 05-07-2009 12:06AM

Ricky91t wrote: »

A common cause of arachnophobia is cause spiders have eight legs...They're harmless really,I've been bitten by a normal sized house spider(i may of provoked it) and i'm still here to tell the tale

A uncommon cause of arachnophobia is when you're 13 (gone by yourself) in the USA, you and your cousins decide during a trip to a zoo type thing, to wander around the cages. Whilst doing so, you somehow end up at the back of the cages where there's about 2ft of a gap between the cage and a forest.

To get through, requires you to duck and dodge hundreds of spiderwebs and spiders, and as you're passing under one particular web with 7+ of one of texas' more venomous spiders sitting on it, your older cousin decides to tell you this fact, and what lovely effects the venom can have on you.

To make matters worse, when you finally get out to the other side, there is but a single spider sitting in your hair, which although isn't as bad as the others, is still enough to freak you the fcuk out.

Also, it was one of these B****rds

DSCN6324%20banana%20spider.jpg

*panics even looking at picture*

kumate_champ07 · 05-07-2009 12:52AM

MooseJam wrote: »

There's a lot of speciesism here - some people will be aghast at killing a butterfly just because they flutter around and are colourful, while at the same time swatting a fly, it's not the fly's fault they are not beautiful

flies are beautiful.

padocon · 05-07-2009 01:03AM

The difference is flies land on sh1t & butterflies don't.
I must say noise of blue bottles drives me mad! I don't really mind silent flies.

AnimalRights · 05-07-2009 01:17AM

MooseJam wrote: »

There's a lot of speciesism here - some people will be aghast at killing a butterfly just because they flutter around and are colourful, while at the same time swatting a fly, it's not the fly's fault they are not beautiful

I don't kill Flys.

padocon · 05-07-2009 01:19AM

AnimalRights wrote: »

I don't kill Flys.

Likewise.

veryrandom · 05-07-2009 01:37AM

Aw man, that just seems mean. I mean theres worse things to kill, obviously but still, tho u could just argue its just a moth and u kill them all the time...tough call....

AnimalRights · 05-07-2009 01:39AM

I don't kill Moths.

vectra · 05-07-2009 01:44AM

padocon wrote: »

How is a photo-shoot going to kill the butterfly?

Use a shotgun instead of a camera ?

jaffa20 · 05-07-2009 01:45AM

AnimalRights wrote: »

I don't kill Moths.

Do you kill ants or other insects when you walk on the ground

Sweet dreams!;)

Is it ok to kill a butterfly in the name of art?

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