The butterfly trade is both a big international business and a delicate form of art.
In her studio in Shepherds Bush, artist and entomologist Hannelore Nuijens from UC Studio, imports butterflies and other insects from Kenya, Indonesia and other parts of the world, to create colourful and delicate displays in frames and domes.
She buys her specimen directly from small breeders to ensure the insects are as responsibly and ethically sourced as possible.
The insects arrive wrapped in chalk paper, looking the way they do when they naturally die – with their wings closed.
Nuijens then starts the process of drying and pinning them on wooden boards with special entomology pins, so that the insects take on the shape she wants them to have for her artistic displays.
See the full video of Nuijens’ work process here:
