Once out of the chrysalis, the butterfly’s wings are soft and crumpled. It must pump fluid into its wings and wait for them to harden before it can fly. Thereafter, its main goals are to feed on nectar, reproduce, and continue the cycle. This relationship between deeper essence and outward appearance was at one time considered unproblematic. Over time, however, this connection came to be perceived as uncertain, leading to a shift where sensory experiences gained independence and opened the door to an overflowing play with the senses. Amidst obscured reflections and fleeting shadows, concealed gestures are set into motion—delicate, elusive, and protective. This studio showing embraces baroque aesthetics and certain practices of the closet; it considers how exuberance and expressiveness can be seen as sensory excess that mimics and protects against a hostile environment, like the imitation of eyes or euphemistically overwhelming predators.