Cut Paper Zoetrope Reveals the Life Cycle of a Butterfly as it Rotates

Dutch artist Veerle Coppoolse examines the life cycle of a butterfly in a handcrafted zoetrope built from finely cut paper. The analogue animation brings the metamorphosis of the extraordinary insect to life, presenting its transformation from cocoon-wrapped caterpillar to a butterfly in flight. The grey and white paper animation is a mock-up for a larger model Coppoolse is currently seeking funding for on the Netherlands-based crowdfunding site Voordekunst. She hopes to build a cocoon-shaped machine that will spin guests around the paper work to create an animation, rather than producing movement from the zoetrope itself. You can follow the process behind Coppoolse’s human-powered metamorphosis attraction on Instagram.