Contemporary Abstraction
Michael Butler's inspirations range from a variety of influences, such as British and American hip-hop culture, Old Master paintings, artefacts from Egypt’s 25th Dynasty (712-664 BC), and porcelain from China’s Qing Dynasty (1644–1912).
Butler is profoundly fascinated by the cultural and artistic significance of Egypt's Nubian Empire and the Qing Dynasty. His studies involve an in-depth analysis of Chinese porcelain and hieroglyphic artefacts from Egypt. These artefacts are not merely historical relics but serve as a bridge connecting past civilisations to contemporary abstraction.
Butler regularly visits museums in England and China to explore and examine these artefacts in person, finding inspiration in the authentic environment rather than through a computer screen. Engagement with artefacts enhances one's understanding and appreciation of the intricate details and historical contexts that digital images often fail to convey.
This close study informs Butler's experimentation with Chinese calligraphy and Egyptian pictorial hieroglyphics. By altering, merging, and blending these symbols, he aims to create a unique visual language that expresses his interpretation, which is akin to Xu Bing’s approach in his work A Book from the Sky. Bing’s innovative method of inventing characters to form a new visual language profoundly influenced Butler's creative process, encouraging him to push the boundaries of traditional forms of abstraction.
Butler often gives his paintings titles drawn from hip-hop lyrics, which burst with poetic genius. Listening to music while he paints, he selects lyrics that resonate with his cultural and personal experiences as a graffiti writer. He references wealth or sections of lyrics that showcase his admiration for the rap artist's wordplay. Sometimes the title may not directly relate to the painting's content or his field of study, but it reflects the artistic journey he’s taken since 2002 and the fusion of graffiti and contemporary art in his work.
This artistic exploration is visually articulated in the fine art film Michael Butler: The Artist Deconstructed. Butler's relentless drive to refine his abstract painting techniques stems from an inherent desire to create exceptionally beautiful abstract paintings.
The fusion of Butler's subject matter and elements such as colour, texture, shape, form, detail, and style acts as a framework for creating paintings that can lead to ground-breaking artistic expressions and deeper development with contemporary abstraction.
Jinhua Museum China