Bunny and Bakchoi

In Bakchoi, Mu Pan (Taichung City, Taiwan, 1976) depicts two monkeys disguised as Bakchoi to blend in with the rabbits so they can hunt them and roast them over a bonfire. The artist endows the monkeys with human qualities, which are not present in their nature, such as the ability to make fire and a desire to eat rabbits. Monkeys play a key role in Mu Pan’s work, as they represent human nature in its rawest form, without filters. The Asian-American artist Mu Pan has made mixing cultures his personal brand. His works present multiple narrative layers, personal reflections on human behaviour where humour and violence often come together.