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‘Migratory Flight’ by Audrey Buttigieg Cardona

Each butterfly is carefully adorned with patterns sourced from traditional embroidery, lace, carpet, or fabric prints generously shared with the artist by community members including some handmade pieces that are 100 years old, each weaving a rich tapestry telling stories of travel, family traditions and home.     

The beautiful and intricate ‘Migratory Flight’ series seeks to represent the artist’s own migratory experience and more broadly other migrant communities residing in Caroline Springs and Melton.    

• The Caper White Butterfly showcases intricate Maltese lace and festive cultural designs on its top wings, while the bottom wings feature elegant Italian embroidery and scarf motifs and Greek crochet.
• The Meadow Argus Butterfly proudly showcases various African cultures, including South Sudanese and Eritrean influences.
• The Blue Tiger Butterfly incorporates textile patterns and symbolizes our diverse Indian community.
• The Bogong Moth is a critically endangered species.  The upper wings feature intricate Māori design while the middle section showcases Fijian tapa patterns, with lower wings featuring Samoan motifs.
• The Egg Fly Wanderer Butterfly highlights Middle eastern communities, featuring intricate Iraqi embroidery and elegant Turkish design on the lower wings. Iraqi and Salvadoran families provided embroidered textiles.
• The Imperial Jezebel Butterfly is a stunning representation of Asian cultures featuring motifs from the Philippines on the top wings and exquisite Vietnamese and South Korean embroidery on the bottom wings.
• The Australian Painted Lady Butterfly showcases woven patterns from Albania, Croatia and Macedonian embroidery motifs feature on the lower wings.

Audrey Buttigieg Cardona migrated to Australia in 2007 from Malta and currently teaches art to primary school students in Caroline Springs.    

Personal Statement from Audrey Buttigieg Cardona

Migratory Flight holds a special place in my heart. As a migrant myself of 17 years, I understand what it feels like to leave your home country and start anew in Australia. It’s a journey filled with uncertainty, facing challenges like prejudice and the discomfort of not quite fitting in. But over the years, with the support of family and friends, Australia gradually started to feel more like home, and I found my roots again.

Everyone’s relationship with their culture is unique—some love it, some don't. For me, I cherish my culture and try to share that love with my children by speaking Maltese to them, cooking traditional dishes, and celebrating Maltese customs. Knowing where you come from is so important.

In the White Caper Butterfly, I used some of my most treasured heirlooms—things my Nanna made. Both of my nannas were talented with crochet, creating beautiful doilies that they sold to others. I have such fond memories of spending time in the family kitchen, watching my Nanna drink her Maltese coffee at the small table she kept under the stairs or sitting outside the front door with Nanna while she crocheted her doilies and chatting to the neighbours. The Maltese cross, a symbol passed down from the Hospitaller Knights of St John, was made using a traditional lace technique called ‘bizzilla’. Before we moved to Australia, I made a special trip to Gozo, the sister island of Malta, to buy a set of Maltese lace as a reminder of home.

The far side of the butterfly’s wing features a ‘pavaljun’ design, a traditional decoration seen during village feasts in Malta. This particular design was generously shared with me by a friend who creates them for his town back home.

For the other butterflies, I wanted to highlight the richness of migratory cultures. Working at a local primary school in Caroline Springs brought me closer to families and colleagues from all over the world. Their stories have become an essential part of our community's vibrant tapestry. Many of the items shared with me were made by a family member during gatherings with other women, where they would chat and create together. To me, this symbolizes a connection to the past—how simple, meaningful activities keep traditions alive. It's a passing on of culture, preserving the memories of those who came before us, and an heirloom crafted with love and hope for the future.