UnBunny remains one of the most popular Witty Art Characters!

It's nice to look back every once in a while. Earlier this week, I wrote a blog about my series ''H.U.R.T.'', which features a couple of rather sinister 'Dark Bunnies', pretty much portraying the darker instincts of mankind. But, when that series was shown during the December 2011 exhibition 'The Sleep of Reason Breeds Monsters', there was another bunch of bunnies that played an important role in my work.

As part of the same showcase, I also presented my series 'Innovation In Carnation', all about a not all to happy creature named UnBunny, who's in a constant struggle with a world more and more dominated by (digital) technology. A fight, he's bound to lose. Or so it seems. It's not always clear whether he's really on the receiving end or just acts like he is, in order to survive.

A couple of days ago, I decided to share some of the exhibition's pictures on Instagram and was taken in by the immediate, warm response towards this series. People loved it. Well, they loved him: UnBunny. And actually, that should have been no surprise. 

From the very start I came up with him, this little UnBunny has been one of the most loved and popular inhabitants of the Witty Art World. I think it's because people can relate to him, they recognise themselves in him, his struggle with the world. To some, his battle with technology represents theirs with, for instance, bureaucracy, with the rat race this world has become (which has led to another series featuring UnBunny, called 'Innovation In Corporation').

'Innovation In Carnation' has also turned out to be one my best-selling series so far. It started with a total of 19 drawings, which grew to be 30, of which 15 have found their way to new happy owners. I can still remember of pride when the first ones got sold, during the opening of the December 2011 exhibtion. There was even someone who got herself three in one buy!

Foto: (c) Vincent Kos Photography

People often ask me: ''What's this with you and rabbits?''. The funny thing is, personally, I am anything but a  a rabbit or bunny-kinda person (I am a cat person, 100%), but I do have a big fascination for how these fluffy creatures have been inspriations for the arts throughout the ages.

There's the famous White Rabbit from Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland, Aesop's fable about The Tortoise and The Hare and Richard Adams' novel Watership Down. Popular culture has Bugs Bunny and the Book of Bunny Suicides by Andy Riley. And there is Miffy (in Dutch: Nijntje) created by my fellow Dutchman Dick Bruna and wait, did I mention Jessica Rabbit? .... And no, I have not forgotten the iconic Playboy Bunny, but that's a different phenomenon alltogether.... 

So, it seems that because of their various artistic and mythological meanings in different cultures, rabbits (and hares) have provided a great of inspiration for the arts and no doubt I have been must have been undoubtedly influenced by some of the famous rabbits mentioned above.

So, Little UnBunny, as well as his more sinister cousin Dark Bunny, fit in an old and long, established tradition of fluffy muses. So, it would be almost a crime against art if I would create no more Witty Art featuring him, right? Well, I can reassure you. UnBunny is one of those characters that will always keep popping up in my art, whether he plays the lead or is more of a sidekick, he'll always be there, big-eared, big-teethed, big-footed and all.

'H.U.R.T.' love, lust, power and destruction created a popular Witty Art Series

Most of you might not know this, or not realise it, but it has been only since 2011, I picked up pen and paper and started making Witty Art again - after a long, long time, I can only describe as 'creative drought'. Well, as far as expressing my own visions and thoughts, that is. I was indeed - and still am - very actively involved in the worlds of culture and the arts, but not as a visual artist myself.  You can read a bit more on that and my creative entrepreneuship here.

One of the series that played a significant, if not crucial part in my 'resurrection' as an artist, it's 'H.U.R.T.: Harmful/Hurtful Useless Roadkill Targets'.

A series, made up of in total 11 works, in black and white, basically depicting a bunch of bunnies, well, hurting each other. Up till this very day, it's one of my most dark, most intense series, as it was created in the midst of extreme, personal pains. It was also created as consequence of such. The kettle was boiling over, the volcano had started erupting and to be honest, it hasn't stopped ever since ..

At first, I was extremely hesitant to show this series to people, as it was so powerfully intense but so .. well, confronting, in many ways. But, when I had to make the decision which works to showcase during the exhibtion 'The Sleep Of Reason Breeds Monsters', I felt no hesitation at all. I just had to.
 

I can still remember the sensation of seeing that one wall in (the sadly now closed down) Gesamt Galerie, where 9 of the 11 'Dark Bunnies', as they have come to be known, were displayed, with two of them hanging seperately elsewhere. One wall of stark black and white images of power, of vengeance, of anger, of hate, of destruction, and,yes, pretty much of love too. And above all, of humanity.

And .. surprisingly, this was the series that got most positive feedback from visitors, as many of them were genuinely touched by what I was trying to say with it. I had many conversations with people about this series, exchanging thoughts on love, lust, hurt and, let's say, ''la condition humaine''.

And .. this series has also proven to be quite popular, as already 4 out of 11 have been sold. And although it always touches me deeply when someone buys a Witty Art Work, no matter the size or price, and provides it with a new home, it feels extra special to know that there are people out there who have made a specific choice for this series.