Behind the Art

For Johnny Depp there has always been art. Before acting, and before music, art has always been an important outlet for his creativity. And, whenever he is filming, art provides his ‘release’ away from the camera; a sanctuary where he can quietly express himself.

Hundreds of paintings now illustrate Johnny’s path through life, from early paintings of his mother, then his family, to more recent ones expressing his emotions; his art tells his story.

“I’ve always used art to express my feelings and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire.

My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves.”

Until recently, Johnny kept his art to himself, his family, and his closest friends. Not allowing anyone beyond his immediate circle to see what he had painted. He has huge respect for art and was reluctant to push himself into the art world, particularly by appearing to exploit his success as an actor to promote his work. But he now recognises, "What I did was I limited myself and that's something no one should ever do".

The Bunny Man

The Bunnyman came into being when, some years ago, Johnny saw a sketch of a figure by his son, who’d been unsettled by a nightmare in which he’d appeared. The figure reminded Johnny that, decades before, he’d also experienced recurring dreams involving this character. “But that dream kept coming to me, I had it a lot and that’s sort of what The Bunnyman became, is that figure in the dream”.

The Bunny Man can be interpreted as a fearsome vision. But look closer, he can also be seen as an inseparable friend, even a shamanic warrior at the doorway between reality and imagination. Johnny sees him as powerfully standing with a sword of truth, guarding the heart, and delivering through all adversity where, above all, The Bunnyman becomes whoever he needs to be.

Johnny realised this iconic figure on a large canvas, and it has since come to symbolise both him and his work. As such it is being registered as a global trademark. Where The Bunny Man appears with Johnny’s initials it represents an additional guarantee of authenticity beyond his handwritten signature.

The Bunnyman

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