BRIAN ROBINSON | 'Miffy and friends: The usual suspects' | Linocut

"Look deeply into Robinson’s imagery and you begin to lose your footing. A constellation of details absorbs you into spaces that are at once foreign and familiar, and a gentle but liberating sense of disorientation takes hold. Miffy + friends: The usual suspects, takes the viewer on a magical journey through many different lands, several multiverses, and a diversity of narratives as each and every visible character is explored. In this print, Miffy is surrounded by his posse of family, friends, and foe. Every conceivable long-eared rabbit that has appeared in written and illustrated literature, moving pictures, animations, and arcade games as well as a few additions. Numerous epic narratives unfold in Miffy’s universe, once peaceful and placid, but now full of chaos and mayhem. From left to right is the following long-eared friend or foe - Roger Rabbit, Stitch, White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland), Easter Bunny, Bugs Bunny, Miffy (holding a toy rabbit), Pikachu, Snowball (from The Secret Life of Pets), E.B. (from Hop), Thumper (from Snow White), Rabbids (from Rabbids Invasion), Rabbit (from Japanese Manga). Even an AT-AT Walker (from Star Wars), space invaders, Marvin the Martian, BB-8 (from Star Wars), and Wile E. Coyote (from Road Runner) who is disguising himself in a large Trojan timber rabbit. This line-up leaves you to ponder . . . should I take the red pill or the blue pill. You take the blue pill . . . the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill . . . you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes (Matrix – Follow the White Rabbit). The title resonates from two main sources. Firstly, the small white female rabbit (dead centre) known as Miffy, which was created by Dutch artist and author Dick Bruna who’s worldwide following continues to this day. Secondly, it refers to the 1995 mystery thriller, The Usual Suspects, which follows the interrogation of Roger Kint, a small-time conman who spins a convoluted story about a mysterious crime lord known as Keyser Söze. The main narrative that underpins the print is The Last Supper, a magnificent 15th Century mural painted in Milan by Leonardo da Vinci in 1495. A biblical narrative, which according to Christian belief was the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. Miffy and friends is the artist’s version with interesting twists that intertwines traditional Torres Strait minaral with Western Art through the genre of classical Renaissance mythology. Miffy is placed in a central position and portrays Jesus’ while being surrounded by her twelve apostles who are all outside soaking up the warm summer sun while carrots grow in the field surrounding them. Some are delighted to get the invitation, some are late, some are weird, some are nervous, some are angry. Makes for an interesting mystery thriller as plots turn and twist."

BRIAN ROBINSON | 'Miffy and friends: The usual suspects' | 2021 | linocut | H 1000 x W 2000 mm