Photo by Ella Snyder, The Orlando Life
If you’ve walked through downtown Orlando lately, you may have spotted a white bunny in a business suit staring back at you from a piece of cardboard.
Mixed media artist Mac De Sol makes art on cardboard, and leaves it around downtown for people to discover. Each piece of cardboard features his signature white bunny in a business suit along with a clever statement or joke. Some of his most recent pieces feature phrases such as:
“Don’t just chase your dreams. Trip them, tackle them, and steal their wallet.”
“The bare minimum isn’t romantic. Unless you’re dating a nudist.”
“We’ve mastered the art of staying connected. We just forget how to connect.”
Some of Mac’s pieces have words of encouragement, letting people know that they are not alone. Others are more satirical or touch on political topics.
Mac makes this artwork with the goal of people finding it. When placing the bunnies around downtown, Mac and his girlfriend Kimmie target high foot traffic areas, such as Orange Avenue, so his messages can reach as many people as possible.
“I really believe that the world is in a desperate need of more connection between one another,” Mac said. “I really like the idea of someone reading something that made them feel connected to me, even though they didn’t know me at all.”
In addition to sharing words of wisdom, Mac hopes that his art can make a small difference in keeping our city pristine.
“I like to lay against abandoned businesses, things that look kind of dirty and may be gross, and put the artwork there, so it beautifies it, even if it’s just for a few moments.”
Rather than painting directly on buildings, Mac creates on cardboard to keep the city undisturbed.
“The street artist in me has an urge to say something, leave some artwork, and make a mark. I want to beautify the city in a way, but I don’t want to destroy property. If the cardboard upsets anybody, all they really gotta do is pick it up and throw it in the trash.”
But overall, feedback on Mac’s street art has been very positive. Many people even pick up his work and bring it home.
Mac’s street artist roots date back to his upbringing in Miami, but his practice of leaving bunnies downtown is relatively new.
In February, Mac was constructing a scavenger hunt for Immerse Orlando, a large, interactive art festival. His plan was to use a bunny dressed in a business suit as imagery to signal clues for the hunt.
“I put it onto cardboard because I wanted it to look very street, sort of like something that was tucked away somewhere.”
Needless to say, the bunnies were a hit. After the conclusion of Immerse, Mac continued to leave his messages around downtown, hoping to reach a wider audience. As bunnies get relocated or scooped up by pedestrians, Mac continues to make more.
“Becoming known as ‘the bunny guy’ has been really cool.”
At this point, bunnies are a part of his brand.
Mac at CityArts’ Third Thursday Event | Photo by Ella Snyder, The Orlando Life
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