‘Home, issue 2’ reflects the artist’s inner and outer worlds and is a space where the private and public collide. ‘Jenga’, ‘Blow and pop’, ‘Whack-a-vase’ and ‘Chubby bunny’ make up part of ‘The almost tragic story of a Broken Bunny’ which is one of three works featured in ‘Home, issue 2’. The film element of ‘The almost tragic story of a Broken Bunny’ acts like a children’s TV show and explores themes of purposelessness and unproductivity whilst existing in a liminal space.

Key artworks and texts that have influenced Downey’s practice include ‘The Ex Files’ by Lindsey Mendick, ‘Crinkle Series’ by Makoto Komatsu, ‘Sonntagmorgenhütte (Sunday Morning Hut)’ by Pipilotti Rist and ‘Glitch Feminism’ by Legacy Russell. They use post-it notes in a diaristic manner to voice their feelings and thoughts and after looking at ‘The Ex Files’ and ‘Crinkle Series’, they wanted to combine both works and make it more their own. ‘Words that were once lost but have now been found’ consists of 19 sheets of ceramic “paper”, which bring an intimate voice into the Broken Bunny’s visual landscape in the form of written dialogue. Pipilotti Rist’s ‘Sonntagmorgenhütte (Sunday Morning Hut)’ triggered memories of the tents they made as a child and the wholesome, innocent act of creating a home inside of a home, made from different materials that could provide space for an inner world. Toying around with this concept of internal and external realms inspired them to build their own tent, which led to the development of their degree show final piece ‘Home, issue 2’ – a private space inside a public place.

To you dear reader
please take off your skin
before you wander round our home
let these words sink in

we’re unusually glad you could make it
at times we weren’t so sure
once upon a dream we shattered
into a looking-glass door

crawled inside their fragments
what else could we do?
we travelled back here safely now
to tell this tale to you

we’re so thrilled you could be here
our window wasn’t always ajar
leave your mind behind the cracks
tender bunny you’ve come so far

some may tremble through this story
though time be very fleet
please hop between unknowns with us
our broken hearts may meet

although the echoes speak of truth
is it by mistake or design?
we were told what you know too
shattered glass will heal in time

this tale was lost but now is found
how long shall we wait?
through death travel gently
slowly meet your fate

explore dear reader
fun’s to be had we swear!
enjoy your time within our walls
we hope it’s not too much to bear