Created as a homage to Czechoslovak fighter pilots who served alongside the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II, Butterflies on Máj consists of two purple and blue World War II fighter plane replicas, with large butterfly wings attached to each side.
The artwork is known by several names. The shopping mall lists it as Butterflies on Máj, while some sources call it The Butterfly Effect, the original title given by David Černý. Others refer to it as Spitfire Butterflies, a nickname that has caught on due to its striking visual impact.
The butterflies hover several meters above the ground over the Máj Národní, a historic building with brutalist features constructed in the 1970s under the communist regime of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. In recent years, The Máj was refurbished and transformed into a shopping mall.
The artwork was created by renowned Czech artist David Černý, which is also the behind some of Prague’s most famous sculptures, including the famous Franz Kafka’s Head, and this Statue of King Wenceslas riding an upside down horse. Like many of Černý’s works, Butterflies on Máj share a sense of disobedience, boldness and a thought-provoking nature.
After unveiling in May of 2024, the installation sparked controversy among heritage preservation organizations, such as the Czech National Heritage Institute or The Club for Old Prague, as well as some segments of the Czech media. Critics argued that the style of the artwork is not consistent with both the architectural style of The Máj or the old city of Prague.
Beyond controversy, Butterflies on Máj embodies an interplay of opposites: The butterfly wings symbolizing peace while the Spitfires represent war. The vivid colors of the aircraft contrast with the brutalist elements of the building where they rest upon, while the LED-lit mobile wings introduce a sense of modernity over Prague’s skyline.