Printemps - Cracking Art Group (Paris, France)

Imagine you're taking a nice stroll through Paris with your loved one on a somewhat sunny day. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming and because it's a Sunday, the streets are not too busy. Then from afar you spy something odd. Something very colorful and surreal. It reminds you of a Sony Bravia commercial. No, you're not dreaming - you're looking at the rear end of two giant red and magenta bunny rabbits, taller than your average basketball player, standing in the middle of a pavement. I wasn't even sure this had anything to do with Printemps, one of the big Parisian department stores. Then I saw the shop windows had even more (smaller) bunnies in different colors and according to a display some could also be found inside the store.

Two giant bunnies near Printemps Maison.

I found out that these installations were created by an Italian team of six artists called the 'Cracking Art Group'. According to their official website, it's the 'group’s intention to change art history through both a strong social and environmental commitment and the revolutionary and innovative use of different plastic materials that evoke a strict relationship between natural life and artificial reality'. Basically they use recycled plastic (which is derived from natural resources to create an artifical material) and mold it into animals in various bright colors. After each installation, the materials are destroyed to create new pieces.

Previous installations have included placing 1000 gold dolphins in front of Milan's Duomo or lining up 34 yellow penguins along the river in Prague.

All the windows of Printemps Mode.

I still have no idea why Printemps is hosting this, because for some bizarre reason, they've mixed the bunnies with their current Marc By Marc Jacobs 'Country Romance' special, so most mannequins in the windows are wearing MBMJ and the respective designer section in-store is the only one to have gotten the most bunnies as well.

Smaller bunnies in-store, in the main Mode area (above), in the MBMJ section (below)

Oh, and if you love the bunnies as much as I do, no worries - they can be purchased! The giant ones, measuring an impressive 3 meters, cost a whopping 20 000 EUR, whereas the smaller 95 cm ones will only set you back 1800 EUR. This means that for once, the Balmain in the store window isn't the priciest item on display. As I won't settle for anything less than a giant bunny, it's probably time to start saving. Or I have to find a way to kidnap the ones on display outside the store...

Yes, this giant bunny is actually attached to the main entrance ceiling.

Another giant bunny near the Printemps Mode entrance.

The installation will be on until June 20th, so if you're in town, go check it out!

Address: 64 boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 9:35-20:00, Thu: until 22:00
Printemps Official Homepage