Untitled (BC-222)

Curator’s reflection

In BC-222, Broome again turns to the butterfly, but here the image feels almost illuminated from within. Thick layers of golden yellow, amber, orange, and touches of green build the wings into a richly textured surface, while the dark, splattered background creates the impression of a butterfly emerging from a field of chaos.

Unlike the more controlled patterns of BC-224, these wings are loose, energetic, and heavily worked. Their imperfect symmetry gives the butterfly an organic quality as though transformation itself is still taking place. Against the black background, scattered marks of white, yellow, and orange resemble sparks, stars, or fragments of light surrounding the central figure.

There is an intriguing contrast between the darkness surrounding the butterfly and the extraordinary brightness it carries. Broome does not eliminate the darkness; he allows the butterfly to exist within it. The result can be read as an image of resilience, emergence, and transformation a luminous presence finding its place amid disorder.

Looking closer

Notice the extraordinary thickness and movement within the wings. Broome layers and drags pigment rather than carefully defining every detail, allowing yellow, orange, green, and brown to merge across the surface. Against the splattered darkness, the butterfly seems less painted upon the background than emerging out of it.

A moment to reflect

Must the darkness around us determine the light within us? Perhaps even amid chaos, something beautiful can continue to emerge. He left more than paintings. He left a life painted in brushstrokes.

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