Metamorphosis - Art as Activism

The fourth piece in Mikayla’s Art as Activism series, “Metamorphosis”, explores the quiet power of transformation in the aftermath of trauma.

At the centre of the painting is a butterfly, freshly emerged from its cocoon. This isn’t the dramatic moment of flight, but the tender pause that comes just after - a moment of stillness, of becoming, of breath. The cocoon itself symbolises the unseen stages of healing: a space of darkness, isolation and quiet growth. A space where nothing appears to be happening, yet everything is shifting beneath the surface.

Unlike Mikayla’s earlier works, which came together in a single session, Metamorphosis took time. For weeks, the painting remained unfinished - waiting, watching, refusing to be rushed. This process mirrored the very message of the piece: healing cannot be hurried. Transformation takes the time it takes.

The butterfly in Metamorphosis reflects the many stages survivors move through on the path of reclaiming their lives. It speaks to the grief, the stillness, the anger, the hope and the often invisible inner work that marks the healing journey. The butterfly is not just a symbol of change, but of emergence. Of arriving, finally, back to oneself.

What if transformation isn’t about becoming someone new - but about returning home to who you’ve always been, beneath the survival?