Deconstructed

The documentary ‘Michael Butler the Artist’ is a fascinating deconstruction into the complexities of how the painter juxtaposes seven elements to create beautiful paintings.

This retrospective offers a comprehensive insight into the British painter Michael Butler’s creative process over the last decade. His exquisite paintings are inspired by hip hop culture, Egypt’s 25th Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty of China. The film also explores his beautiful blue paintings, which are often are described as being like a blue diamond found in the middle of the ocean.

There has been little attention paid to Butler, as he is almost unknown in England. In an interview in the documentary, Butler’s own words reveal how he is an unapologetic artist drawing from the culture of grime and hip hop. He talks about how he rose from painting on the streets of Birmingham and London to reach fine art, which led him to feel an affinity for old master paintings, hieroglyphics and calligraphy and use his art to respond to modern-day abstraction.