On Butterfly Logic
Sandell Inari
On Butterfly Logic (2024) examines butterflies’ moving patterns, societal norms of neurotypicality, and psychiatric interventions and histories concerning autism. A butterfly’s flying pattern might not make sense to a human observer, but its’ “erratic” logic keeps the creature safe from predators. The film presents the butterfly as a symbol of resistance to normative cognitive and bodily standards, and suggests we look at diverging manners of movement and thinking as their own logical systems; worthy, queer, and intelligent.
The film was produced as part of the annual exhibition programme for Fundació Joan Miró -museum’s gallery space Espai 13. Curated by Irina Mutt, the programme is called We Will Keep Each Other Company when It Grows Dark and featured Inari Sandell’s solo exhibition Butterfly Logic in April–July 2024.