A swarm of butterflies will reside on the Van Wickle Gates until May 10th, weather permitting. Created by marine biology concentrator Mayrolin Garcia, the installation is a metaphor for the personal change all Brown students go through during their years at Brown. According to the artist, “I created each caterpillar by hand to represent how, as first-years, we come to Brown as individuals, rarely sharing any specific experiences. The single cocoon represents the University. Mentally and physically demanding, our rigorous studies shape us into new beings. The University acts as the crucible in which we metamorphose. Finally, during Commencement, we emerge in a burst of color and vitality. The butterflies are cut out and painted from a stencil (one could almost say mass-produced) to represent that we leave Brown as a collective swarm ready to disperse and follow our separate paths. Wherever we are going, we will always be Brunonians.”