
The Courage of the Rabbits
12 December 2024 – 12 January 2025
Opening: 12.12.2024, 6 pm
When the war in Ukraine started, I started folding these insignificant papers. I listened and folded. It became a tic. Folding while listening to horrors in real time.
I thought there were no boundaries. That the world is opening up to culture and reading. To feelings and deep research. To sustainable/non-commercial pursuits and sports. I was naive. I thought folding would stop together with the war. It has already become a whole exhibition and I continue to fold. What should I do? Fold bigger size papers? As big as Tate modern? Or become an influencer? If we all fold continuously, we won’t do anything else. Good for the planet. To fold all papers, all old newspapers, invitations, posters, drawings, sketches. I fold A4 because that’s what I have on hand, but anything foldable can be folded. I recommend:
- All soldiers should be given A4 sheets, to fold one hundred rabbits a day. Let’s see – will they have time to fight.
- To generals, politicians, philosophers and writers – 200 rabbits each. To some philosophers – maybe other figures – flowers, bomb shelters, palm trees, buildings.
- Let the others look after their peaceful work – digging, learning, teaching, thinking, drawing, doing nothing, etc.
My story with the rabbits does not work because the wars continue. There are more. Is ferocity increasing? Or has it always been there, just flaring up sometimes? Folding was a sort of hermitage from gesture and color, an empathy with the soldier’s repetitive and boring gestures, a rejection of humor, play, love, a rejection of everything that counts. You fold until the stupidity stops. But it doesn’t work. The war continues. People didn’t get smart. I’ve been folding for three years now – I’m fed up! I’m stopping! Maybe they will stop too?
Eslitza Popova, Ruse, December 2024