Mr. Papillon is inspired by the 2018 film Papillon and the butterfly tattoo on the protagonist’s chest.
This work uses intense physical language to express the artist’s deep longing for freedom and the struggle to break free. Created during the COVID-19 lockdown and born out of a state of extreme isolation, the dancer moves within a compressed space, using explosive motion, sharp rhythms, and tearing energy to express an instinctive drive for escape.
The dancer appears like a butterfly about to emerge from its chrysalis—repeatedly crashing at the edge, tearing clothing, flinging limbs—releasing a near-primitive survival instinct. This energy stems from resistance against physical and mental confinement, as well as a period of deep introspection during the pandemic, eventually becoming a call to rediscover and realize one’s truest self.
