I’m a sucker for cute animals, especially ginormous cute animals. Luckily for me, Intrude is a thing. The brainchild of Australian artist, Amanda Parer, Intrude is a free, public art exhibition featuring giant, sculptural bunnies constructed of nylon. Visitors are even encouraged to touch! If you never made it to FAO Schwarz to snuggle the jumbo-sized stuffies, these bunnies just might fill that void.
When I found out Houston was one of only four US cities slated to host the bunnies, I knew I had to see them. With temperate weather and clear skies, this past Wednesday was the perfect night for it. Although the 40-ft bunnies are on view during the day, dusk until right after sunset is the time to go. Because they’re internally illuminated, the bunnies are at their most flattering in the gloom. The whimsical spectacle reminded me of a fairytale. If that fairytale is about an adorable woodland creature who eats an enchanted leaf and morphs into a humongous, man-eating beast.
Seems my suspicion of the bunnies’ underlying malevolence was on point. When I read the exhibition description later, I discovered Parer’s bunnies are indeed “intruders.” Where most Americans equate bunnies with Peter Cottontail, Australians see bunnies as environmental behemoths that have nearly destroyed their ecosystem since being introduced to the continent in the 18th century. Yikes. I also found it not a little ironic that the bunnies’ temporary Houston home is just in the shadow of what was once a looming, destructive force of a different kind — the old Enron building. Dun dun DUNNNNN!
Now, do you still want to hug the bunnies? If so, today is their last day in Houston before they invade Los Angeles. You’ve got until 9:00 p.m., so hop to it. 1600 Smith Street.
