Jim Butler
Stylish Woman, 2016
oil on canvas
54 x 36 inches
Even though this show is inherently striking in its depictions of bizarre human-like creatures, the reason why we loved this show has to do with the relevant questions that it poses.
In this fast-paced reality, one which is rapidly blurring the lines that used to separate human biology and the 'human self' from technological advances, this artist’s creatures stand out not as an aberration but as a possible dystopic future.
Butler’s pieces make you question the nature of his creatures: are they from the human, animal or technological world? When you're unable to find an objective answer to this question, Butler’s pieces give off a sense of uneasiness. Did it ever even make sense to construct this ontological separation in the first place?
Furthermore, one can also wonder whether it is still possible to draw this imaginary line today.