Gathering

Gathering, 2013

As I've said this countless times previously, I’ve always drawn rabbits. 

My existing first drawing was rabbits and my primary school art project was of rabbits. My doodles on my textbooks were rabbits too.

I probably enjoyed drawing their long ears and cute round tails to start with but by drawing them over and over the image of rabbit has become almost like a personal emblem.

After relocating to Australia I found out that rabbits were considered vermin and an environmental disaster- despite also being a domestic pet. In Japan they are fetishised and populate traditional art and craft as well as popular culture.

I thought this difference in two countries was striking and was fascinated by the fact that a tiny cute animal like rabbit can multiply so fast so that it becomes such a threat to people and environment.

I wanted to create an image where rabbits meet under moonlight to make a plan for world domination over us for this print Gathering.

I found one of my first drawings at my dad's house in Japan below.

I was 4? The carrots confirmed me that it is a rabbit.

I also found my rabbits from my primary school project. I think it was grade 5?
It was kind of like a scratchboard method.

As my family say, I haven't changed or improved since childhood after art degree and all.