Actor Johnny Depp to unveil first-ever sculpture in Istanbul. The Bunnyman has an interesting story dating back to his childhood

American actor Johnny Depp is known around the world for his film roles, but his latest artistic project has little to do with Hollywood. The actor is now moving into sculpture, with his first-ever three-dimensional artwork set to be unveiled in Istanbul later this month. Called The Bunnyman, the two-metre white bronze sculpture will be displayed at the Contemporary Istanbul art fair from September 22 to 27. The artwork has a surprisingly personal origin; it traces back to a drawing made by Depp's son Jack when he was a child.

Johnny Depp's First Sculpture Is The Bunnyman

The sculpture shows a half-human, half-rabbit figure described as a guardian carrying a “sword of truth”. It will be installed outdoors at Tersane Istanbul, a historic Ottoman shipyard on the Golden Horn. The Bunnyman is not a character Depp created only recently. The figure has appeared repeatedly in his sketches, paintings and prints, becoming one of the recurring images in his artwork. According to The Independent, the idea goes back to a drawing Jack made when he was around five years old. Depp saw the drawing and was reminded of a recurring dream he had experienced at roughly the same age. “When people see the painting I did, The Bunnyman they always ask the same question: where did it come from?” Depp said. He recalled that his son's drawing reminded him of “a kind of recurrent dream” he had as a child.

From A Childhood Dream To A Two-Metre Bronze

The Bunnyman has now moved beyond Depp's paintings and into sculpture. The piece was developed with Pantheon Art, which manages Depp's artwork, and cast at Fonderia Artistica Battaglia in Milan. The sculpture's Istanbul unveiling is part of a wider period of public interest in Depp's work as a visual artist. He has been making art for years, but only began presenting it publicly on a larger scale in recent years.


His 2022 collection of prints sold out in less than 24 hours, according to The Independent. Depp has previously explained that art gives him a way to express personal feelings and memories. “I've always used art to express my feelings and to reflect on those who matter most to me,” he said.

Why Is The Bunnyman Being Unveiled In Istanbul?

The sculpture will be presented as a special project at Contemporary Istanbul, one of the major art events in Turkey. Pierre Sigg, founder of the Sigg Art Foundation, said the fair has increasingly attracted international artists and galleries. He described Depp's participation as part of that growing international profile.

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The unveiling also comes as Depp's artwork is being shown elsewhere. His exhibition A Bunch Of Stuff, featuring more than 200 works, is currently being presented at the Modern Art Museum Shanghai. Meanwhile, an exhibition titled The Art of Johnny Depp is running at Schloss Benrath in Düsseldorf through September 27. German publication Welt reported that the exhibition includes the Bunnyman series and other works from Depp's artistic career.

The Bunnyman Is More Than A New Art Project

For Depp, The Bunnyman appears to be more than an experiment with sculpture. Its story connects his son's childhood drawing with a recurring image from his own early memories. That makes the Istanbul unveiling a notable moment in Depp's growing career as a visual artist. A character that began with a child's sketch and a childhood dream has now become a two-metre bronze sculpture giving one of Depp's most personal artistic ideas a physical form for audiences to see.