Butterfly Rainbow – H7-1

In May 2020, Damien Hirst released his vibrant ‘Butterfly Rainbow’, one of four limited edition rainbow prints produced during the COVID‐19 pandemic. With all of the profits of its sale donated to NHS Charities Together, the print was released within a fixed time frame for purchase. As such, the number of editions ordered determined the final size of the edition. ‘Butterfly Rainbow’ combines the rainbow, a symbol of support of the NHS in Britain throughout the pandemic, with butterflies, one of Hirst’s best‐known motifs. This laminated giclée print on aluminium composite panel is digitally composed of photographed butterfly wings assembled into bands of colour, their puzzle‐like compositions recollective of his ‘Kaleidoscope’ works. Ranging from the yellow wings that nearly fade into the background to the bold blue wings rendered with practically scientific detail, Hirst’s perennial love for butterflies and attention to their multitudinous forms is distinctly present.