Damien Hirst's engagement with butterflies in his artwork spans several decades, reflecting a deep exploration of themes such as beauty, life, death, and resurrection. His first significant foray into this motif was the 1991 exhibition "In and Out of Love," which featured both live butterflies in an artificial environment designed for their breeding and paintings adorned with dead butterflies. This exhibition was pivotal, setting the stage for Hirst's continued use of butterflies as a central symbol in his work​ (Homepage)​.

The butterfly motif has evolved in Hirst's oeuvre, leading to the creation of large-scale works like the Butterfly Mandalas and the Kaleidoscope series. These series highlight the dual symbolism of butterflies, representing both the fragility of life and the possibility of resurrection and renewal. The Mandalas, inspired by Eastern spiritual traditions, are intricate patterns created from hundreds of butterfly wings, designed to aid meditation and represent the universe's microcosm​ (DailyArt Magazine)​. The Kaleidoscope series, initiated in 2001, further explores this motif, using the wings of butterflies to create mesmerizing patterns that evoke the grandeur of stained-glass windows and carry profound spiritual titles, some of which are derived from the book of Psalms​ (DailyArt Magazine)​.

Beyond their aesthetic appeal, Hirst's butterfly works probe the intersections of art, beauty, religion, and mortality. His work with butterflies, from the early experiments with flies in his Brixton studio to the complex Mandalas and the vivid, large-scale Kaleidoscope pieces, underscores a fascination with the lifecycle of butterflies as a metaphor for human existence. These works juxtapose the idealized and the real, the beautiful and the morbid, challenging viewers to reflect on the nature of life and art itself​ (ARTETRAMA)​.

Hirst's butterfly pieces are not only a testament to his conceptual rigor but also a demonstration of his technical prowess, employing the delicate beauty of butterfly wings to craft works that are visually stunning and rich in symbolism. His art invites viewers to meditate on the cycles of life and death, the ephemeral and the eternal, making Hirst's butterflies a profound commentary on the human condition​ (DailyArt Magazine)​​ (ARTETRAMA)​.