Sunday, June 13, 2010

The Rabbit from Hell

One of the ladies in my water aerobics class approached me last week and asked me if I would like a rabbit-shaped planter that someone had given her. Of course, I accepted. She said she would bring it with her to the next class and give it to me, then added, "I must warn you, though--it's the rabbit from hell."

I asked her what she meant, and she said that she didn't know why, but it was an unnerving piece. She thought it might be the red eyes or the expression on its face, but there was something about it that just bothered her a little.

I didn't think much of it until I got to see it, and then I understood:


This is the strangest image of a rabbit that I have ever seen--and I'm not quite sure it is a rabbit, the body shape and facial structure look more like that of a hare. The eyes are made of dark red glass with a black "iris", clearly an attempt to create an albino appearance(and why use an albino rabbit for something like this? A real albino rabbit can be creepy to some people, a fake albino rabbit is creepy to most people.). They're a little small for the space they're supposed to fit in; and they bulge out enough to make the poor thing look quite odd; it might have been better had the artist painted them in instead.



The ear positioning is equally confounding; it's possible that the artist wanted to make a lop-eared rabbit, but the facial structure doesn't look very lop-ish. It almost looks like the poor thing is scared out of its mind and trying to hide from something--not exactly a pleasant image for a planter.

Then I got a look at it head-on:




Yeah, that's a face even a momma bunny would have a hard time loving. I can see how he would give someone the willies. At the moment, he's on my dining room table holding a potted orchid that I was given, but I'm thinking I may have to move him to my patio because he's a bit large for the table...and yes, he's just a wee bit creepy.

8 comments:

Deb Cushman said...

He looks like a deranged rabbit from a warped forest in The Lord of the Rings. Poor thing!

Hef's Mom said...

That's an odd one all right. Can't say I could welcome it into my home!

Lisa said...

Yeah that's a little creepy. The face is just lumpy and weird, and the shape of the cut out on the back is an awkward and could definitely have been more graceful.

I think it's supposed to be an English Lop. They have more of a hare-like face than other lops. I actually met one on BunSpace who has a similar shape: Before she was rescued she was set to be "put down" by her breeder, because her body shape didn't fit the breed standard. Too skinny/bony.

Jade said...

I didn't think of an English Lop; it's very possible, but still an odd choice--and the artist certainly didn't do the breed much justice.

Creepy as it is, the poor thing needs a permanent home. I am the third person who's owned it, and though it's an inanimate object and not a live bun, I just can't toss it away or put it aside. It'll be happy on my patio until the cold weather comes, then I'll find it a nice corner of the house to hide in. :)

SixBunnies said...

I was going along reading about the bunny and laughed outloud when I saw those last shots. That is amazingly weird! I am so glad you are giving it a home and I'm also glad you feel like I do about inanimate objects. I guess deep down I believe everything has a soul... I never could throw out my old stuffed animals when I was a kid. And, I would not let my mom store them in plastic bags because they couldn't breath!

Anonymous said...

Sixbunnies - a fly laid eggs in one of my cuddly toys once. To kill off the eggs I had to put Eeyore in the freezer! It completely freaked my husband out when he came home with shopping.

Jade, that thing is weird!

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

Oh dear...that is down right awful. Someone failed ceramic class for sure with that one. However, what a great conversation piece. Let's hope it doesn't come alive with a full moon and run around the house!

Clovie Boy said...

It's scary alright!

People know I'm a bunny person and they bring me bunny stuff. Some of it good, some of it not so good...