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Metamorphosis 1980, The Butterfly Mural, Artist: Juanishi Orosco, Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa, Downtown Parking Plaza, 3rd and L Streets, Sacramento, California

Huge Butterfly
(1 of 10) (7534 views)

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A huge butterfly mural was painted on the back of the Downtown Parking Plaza in Sacramento, California. It was painted in four sections, were each section was six feet tall and sixty feet wide. The mural was almost forty years old, and had faded over time.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:06:16 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1641
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Closer View
(2 of 10) (4923 views)

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A closer view of the mural. The closer one approached to the mural. the more internal details became evident.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:06:28 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1642
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Center Lower Panel
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./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120640_C19_1643.jpg

The center of the lower panel showed a person seated inside a crystal cave. The person was seated holding a crystal, where the crystal burned with an internal flame.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:06:40 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1643
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Left Next Panel Up
(4 of 10) (4915 views)

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At the left end of the next panel up (second from the bottom) two indigenous people appeared to worship a gigantic sea turtle.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:06:45 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1644
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Lower Left
(5 of 10) (4983 views)

./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120700_C19_1645.jpg

The left-hand end of the lowest panel showed a cave at night under moonlight. Inside the cave were scattered crystals and a circular object with ancient writing on it.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:00 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1645
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Lower Right
(6 of 10) (5008 views)

./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120702_C19_1646.jpg

The right-hand end of the lower panel showed a person reaching out to touch a crystal. The crystals, like truffles, appeared to grow around the roots of a tree.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:02 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1646
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Right Of Second Panel
(7 of 10) (4846 views)

./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120710_C19_1647.jpg

The right-hand end of the second panel from the bottom showed a formal garden surrounded by animals and birds. To the left of the garden thousands of people migrated towards a new home.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:01 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1647
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Center Second Panel
(8 of 10) (4928 views)

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In the center of the second panel from the bottom was the base of the butterfly's body. It was composed of an indigenous god watching over two people pounding on a drum.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:13 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1648
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Top Two Panels
(9 of 10) (4867 views)

./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120716_C19_1649.jpg

The center of the top two panels showed the butterfly's head, with the butterfly flying up at the sun and stars.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:16 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1649
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Second Panel From Top
(10 of 10) (4923 views)

./Metamorphosis_Mural_by_Juanishi_Orosco_Sacramento_California_20190227_120721_C19_1650.jpg

The right-hand end of the second panel down from the top showed salmon spawning under an abstract sky, and behind the salmon the domes of a future city.


Metamorphosis 1980 external link   •  The Butterfly Mural external link   •  Artist: Juanishi Orosco external link   •  Contributing Artists: Stan Padilla, Esteban Villa   •  Downtown Parking Plaza external link   •  3rd and L Streets external link   •  Sacramento, California external link   •  (Date Photographed: 12:07:21 Thursday 27 February 2019)   •  (Date Published: Tuesday 23 April 2019)   •  © 2019 Bryan Costales Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License #C19_1650
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