Actor Johnny Depp to unveil first-ever sculpture in Istanbul. The Bunnyman has an interesting story dating back to his childhood
Johnny Depp steps beyond the screen with his first sculpture, The Bunnyman, unveiled at this month’s Contemporary Istanbul fair. The two‑metre white bronze figure marks a bold new chapter in the actor‑artist’s visual practice, moving his recurring motif from canvas to public space.
The work depicts a half‑human, half‑rabbit guardian clutching a "sword of truth." Its genesis lies in a simple drawing by Depp’s son Jack, drawn at age five, which resonated with a childhood dream Depp has revisited throughout his career. The personal story gives the bronze a narrative weight that transcends its playful form.
Installed outdoors at Tersane Istanbul, a historic Ottoman shipyard on the Golden Horn, the sculpture was cast in Milan by Fonderia Artistica Battaglia and produced in partnership with Pantheon Art. Its presence at one of Turkey’s premier art events signals the fair’s growing international pull.
The debut arrives amid a surge of interest in Depp’s artwork: a 2022 print collection sold out in under 24 hours, and major shows of his paintings and drawings are currently touring Shanghai’s Modern Art Museum and Düsseldorf’s Schloss Benrath. The Bunnyman thus serves as both a personal milestone and a public statement of his evolving artistic identity.
For viewers, the bronze offers a tangible glimpse into a narrative that began as a child’s sketch and a recurring dream, now solidified in metal for a global audience.