Ronald Chee

The Butterfly Migration

Navajo (Dine’) artist, Ronald Chee, is known for his contemporary approach to traditional Native subject matter. Primarily self-taught, Mr. Chee uses vibrant color, and a love of experimentation and change to depict both traditional and modern subject matter and imagery. The results are bold works filled with movement and emotion. With visual allure, Mr. Chee deconstructs the stories, myths, and culture of the Native people.

For The Honeycomb Project, Mr. Chee took the theme of connectedness, blended the organic and modern worlds, and symbolically depicted our world as kaleidoscopic. His use of color shows our natural world: blue skies and water, brown earth, green plant life, yellow sunshine, and the red mountains of Indian country. The strong geometric shapes represent our modern world, busy and forward moving. The butterfly and floral images remind us that our world is in a state of flux.

The flower begins its existence as a seed, buried underground. It emerges, shares it color and fragrance in full bloom, then relies on the birds, wind, and nature to multiply. Its lifecycle is certain, its path is not. Sometimes we may feel buried, but we emerge triumphant and share our gifts.

A lowly caterpillar can’t possibly know that it will grow colorful wings that will enable it to take flight and witness vistas impossible to imagine from the ground. The butterfly shows us metamorphosis. Can we envision, or comprehend, a world so different … the spirit world?

The Navajo (Dine’) believe that all things are connected between the physical and spiritual worlds. Through these six hexagonal panels, collectively and individually, Mr. Chee communicates to the viewer that we are indeed joined to the earth, to each other, and to something greater than ourselves. These worlds are ever-changing and constantly evolving.