Johnny Depp Makes Sculpture Debut With The Bunnyman in Istanbul

Hollywood star Johnny Depp is set to unveil his first-ever sculpture, 'The Bunnyman', in Istanbul, marking a new chapter in his artistic career as he expands beyond film, music and painting into monumental sculpture.

The two-metre white bronze sculpture will be displayed outdoors at Tersane Istanbul, the historic Ottoman shipyard on the Golden Horn, as part of the fair’s special projects running from September 22 to 27. The unveiling represents Depp’s first public venture into sculpture and follows the international success of his limited-edition paintings in recent years.

The work depicts a half-human, half-rabbit guardian carrying what organizers describe as a “sword of truth.” Its origins stretch back more than two decades to a drawing made by Depp’s son, Jack, when he was about five years old. According to the actor, the child’s sketch reminded him of a recurring dream from his own childhood, and the mysterious character gradually became a familiar figure in his notebooks, paintings and prints.

“When people see the painting I did – The Bunnyman – they always ask the same question: where did it come from?” Depp said, recalling that Jack’s “beautiful scribbles” evoked dreams he experienced when he was around the same age.

Depp has spent decades building a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors through films including Edward Scissorhands, Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In recent years, however, he has increasingly devoted himself to visual art, with portrait collections featuring cultural icons selling out shortly after their release.

His move into sculpture reflects a significant creative evolution. Unlike painting, the bronze medium demands the translation of sketches and imagination into physical form, giving ;'The Bunnymn' a new presence as a large-scale public artwork rather than a two-dimensional image.

The sculpture was developed through a collaboration between the Sigg Art Foundation and Pantheon Art, the company that manages Depp’s artwork, before being cast at Fonderia Artistica Battaglia in Milan, one of Italy’s oldest and most respected artistic foundries.

The choice of Istanbul underscores the city’s growing reputation as a global cultural destination linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East. By placing the sculpture in the open-air setting of the historic Tersane waterfront, organizers aim to make the work accessible to both international visitors and the local public.

For Depp, 'The Bunnyman' is more than the launch of a sculpture, it is the transformation of a deeply personal childhood memory into a monumental artwork. Its Istanbul debut highlights how storytelling can transcend cinema, evolving into visual art that invites audiences to interpret fantasy, memory and truth in entirely new ways.