Portland: Artist sparks conversation about taboo topics

The giant 2.5m sculpture of a white bunny, created by Sophie Fretwell, has been hopping around Portland recently in a bid to challenge local superstition.

The 2.5m sculpture of a bunny was erected on top of Portland Bill (Image: Jayne Jackson) It is also designed to spark conversations about identity and community values following the news that the Bibby Stockholm barge housing asylum seekers has been closed.

The installation acts as a prelude to a larger project that will delve deeper into the themes of folklore, superstition, and island life, culminating at b-side’s annual Portland Parade on Sunday, September 8 in Easton Gardens.

As part of this celebration into folklore, the artist also staged a mythical mer-chicken stunt.

She said: “This project isn’t just about a giant bunny; it’s about transforming a symbol of superstition into one of togetherness.

“This quirky installation isn’t just a playful homage to the island’s taboo against saying the word rabbit, it’s being transformed into a powerful symbol of unity at a time when Portland has been thrust into the national spotlight with the arrival of the controversial Bibby Stockholm.

“In a time when Portland is in the news for all the wrong reasons, it’s crucial to highlight the island’s generosity and diversity, which often get overshadowed by more inflammatory narratives.”

Photos from the Portland Bill Follow the Bunny project (Image: Jayne Jackson) Part of the island’s unique identity is its aversion to the word, rabbit. Instead, locals have been known to say bunnies, furry friend, or underground mutton to avoid any bad luck.

This tradition is supposedly rooted in the island’s quarry history with rabbits being the cause of landslips in quarries, however there are no records of the superstition appearing before the 1920s.

Photo from the Follow the Bunny project on Portland Bill (Image: Jayne Jackson) Sophie has been encouraging locals and visitors alike to confront the symbol, and has asked people to reflect on the island’s identity and the challenges of otherness. “What does it mean to be ‘weird’ in a community that is being divided?” she asks.

She is hoping that the bunny, an innocent and whimsical figure, becomes a poignant reminder of what she calls the ‘giant elephant in the room of taboo topics that communities often avoid discussing.

Observers might be able to catch the bunny at its next location by following the hashtag, #followthebunny on social media under the artist’s social media accounts @sophiefretwell. She is encouraging anyone to sign their name on the bunny, to join what she refers to as an ever-growing register of diverse voices to contribute to the conversation about what makes Portland a diverse community worth celebrating.