Metamorphosis

"The blue morpho bounces off the glass as I watch. I fold these paper effigies as secret badges, for the faithful. The morpho caterpillar doesn't spin a cocoon... it just grows armor on the inside... before the change. It is us. To wear a butterfly is to support Doctor Lamb and the Family. Before long, Rapture will split wide... and take wing. Imago is coming." -Bioshock 2 Freedom of Choice  No longer shall I be shackled to the chain of events that tied a noose around my neck and dropped the plank.  By accepting my reality and rejecting the hope of deliverance, I am free to touch ground intact. Shedding my skin and emerging anew granted me permission to clean a slate I failed to realize was even flawed. In this ideal, we were born to believe that we only can walk on a path that was hand selected for us and we die in the futile attempt to make it so. Do not perish with thoughts of faulty self-discipline and unique subject matter. We have the ability to tread as many paths as we see fit for our omn

This is a double helix morphing into/being pulled apart by butterflies, symbolizing change and metamorphosis. This means a lot to me for various reasons


While playing Bioshock 2, I came across this painting on the wall and it instantly captivated me. So much so, that I snapped a crappy quality photo of it and made it my phone's background :] I knew I had to draw it. Why did it captivate me and why did I feel the need to paint it? The story behind it, of course!


If you've never played Bioshock 1 or 2, you should :] Without giving anything away, the story surrounds the inhabitants of an underwater city called Rapture. They have discovered a DNA mutating substance, hosted inside a seaslug on the ocean floor that once introduced into the body, created effects in the host much like supernatural powers. Superhuman strength, lightning bolts from your hands, fire from your fingertips, telekinesis etc. It's discovery ambushed the elite selected to live in seclusion underwater. As guessed, all these new found powers brought about a war which split the city apart, and a shortage of this addictive substance, called ADAM. After much research and refinement, scientists were able to create types of ADAM to do various, specific traits. ADAM fueled powers were then activated inside the body with the use of EVE, delivered through the bloodstream via a syringe. Users of this dna-mutating ADAM, called Splicers, became addicted to the substance and did anything they could to get their hands on it; often killing for it. To calm the chaos, a new ADAM abstraction method was put in place. Gatherers, little girls, were used to harvest the ADAM from the ADAM-filled deceased. Recycling the ADAM from the dead satisfied it's intense need in Rapture. Little girls, called Little Sisters, were the only suitable host for the seaslug, which was needed for ADAM's reuse. This allowed the ADAM to be regenerated aswell. The little sisters were being killed off by mad Splicers so Protectors, called Big Daddies were put in place to protect them while harvesting. Throughout the game, Little Sisters, as well as Sophia Lamb's ideologies were symbolized by Butterflies. Lamb, a psychologist, had big dreams for Rapture. She hoped to unify the torn apart city and bring about a structured and supportive family. She wanted Rapture to die and to be reborn, into a utopic paradise. This picture, depicting a DNA sequence, your genetic makeup of who you are, is being torn apart and changed into butterfly cocoons in which, butterflies are taking flight.

I could go on and on on this subject and only scratch the surface of the symbolism. Not just symbolism for the games attributes either ;] This picture just spoke to me and I applied it to my life and I loved it and I hope you take something from it too :]


Watercolor 12X18
Original design (c) Bioshock 2