Marky Kauffmann's 'We Were Children': Chemigram Butterflies for Epstein Survivors

Marky Kauffmann has initiated a project titled 'We Were Children,' which aims to produce at least one thousand distinctive chemigram butterflies in tribute to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse. This deeply personal endeavor, highlighted in a Lenscratch article, stems from Kauffmann's own experience of sexual abuse as a child by her stepfather, alongside her sister Louise. The butterflies represent the journey from victimhood to survival, mirroring the emblem used by Virginia Giuffre's SOAR organization. Launched in October 2025, following Ghislaine Maxwell's transfer to a minimum-security facility, the project serves as both a healing process and a form of protest against the lack of accountability for Epstein's associates. Utilizing black and white gelatin silver paper, Kauffmann has crafted over 178 butterflies to date, often incorporating color through bleeding tissue paper. The article features discussions between Marky and Louise regarding their trauma, as well as insights from Aline Smithson about the project's inspiration and execution. Kauffmann, a fine art photographer from Somerville, MA, has received multiple accolades, including the Massachusetts Cultural Council Artist Fellowship (2017) and the Griffin Museum Lens Award (2025). Louise Kauffmann, her sister, is a retired housing director and serves as a volunteer rape counselor.