The community is invited to the City of Wilton Manors’ ribbon-cutting ceremony for Thunderbunny, a public art installation in Justin Flippen Park (2109 Wilton Drive). The ceremony will be attended by the artist Hunt Slonem, who created the monumental mosaic sculpture. He will cut the ribbon at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 25 to officially welcome Thunderbunny to the city.
“We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response to this public art installation,” Wilton Manors Mayor Scott Newton says. “Our residents and visitors love to stop and take pictures of Thunderbunny and share it with others, which is what public art is all about. Thunderbunny is bright, colorful, and stands out, just like our Island City.”
Thunderbunny is a 13-foot-tall mirrored glass mosaic sculpture created in 2021. It is comprised of over 20,000 pieces of hand-cut and hand-applied glass. Thunderbunny is a seminal work created in a forthcoming public sculpture garden exhibition program, Huntopia. The exhibition is set to debut in May 2024 at San Antonio Botanic Garden. The artist behind this internationally renowned neo-expressionist artwork is known for his series of bunnies, butterflies, and tropical birds. Some of these animals are native to the South Florida community.
Created in 2021, Thunderbunny is a 13-foot tall, mirrored glass mosaic sculpture comprised of over 20,000 pieces of hand-cut and hand-applied glass. This seminal work was completed as part of the artist’s forthcoming public sculpture garden exhibition program, Huntopia, debuting in May 2024 at San Antonio Botanic Garden. An internationally renowned neo-expressionist artist, Slonem is known for his series of bunnies, butterflies, and tropical birds—some of the native animals in South Florida.
“The point of the sculpture is to make people joyous and to celebrate life and revere the rabbit,” Slonem says. “I am honored and thrilled to present this important artwork to the Wilton Manors Community.”
The work of Slonem has been showcased in various museums worldwide, such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art located in New York City, the Whitney Museum, the Miro Foundation, and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
More public art installations in Wilton Manors are planned in the coming year as part of the city’s public art plan. The new piece is displayed due to a partnership between the city, the artist, and New River Fine Art. To learn more about public art installations in Wilton Manors, visit Inplainsightwm.com.
