Rabbit

Rabbit has a two-fold meaning for Collins – the first is an homage to the 1922 children’s book, the “Velveteen Rabbit” written by Margery Williams, the second being the unbounded speed of a racehorse.

The heavily textured collage invites touch, the undulating bottom layer forming “clouds” below the horses hooves – a reminder that all four hooves are often off the ground at the same time creating the beautiful float that we feel within our hearts. The copper held woven wire gives form to saddle, muscles and outline, playfully breaking the third wall. And the playfulness continues, as Colllins’ has integrated an actual rabbit mid century door knocker – go ahead and pull – like many of her works, this is interactive. Note the Kentucky Club 1950’s cigarette tin, an homage to the heritage of racing.

But beyond the playfulness, Collins returns the core beauty of the Children’s story. The Velveteen Rabbit is about a stuffed toy becoming real through the pure love of a child. “What is Real?” ask the Rabbit to the Skin Horse [another toy in the nursery] – the two key characters of the book.

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Collins has created something truly real, truly tangible in this homage, and the halo may be made of childlike material, but it is as real as any halo made of gold.