Photo from The Designer Toy Store

Although I wasn’t initially familiar with the name “Frank Kozik”, the mustachioed rabbits, er labbits, that have been appearing around town did seem familiar. Around a year ago I was introduced to Kozik’s work through some of the design sites that I visit on a daily basis, but forgot about the showcase of his work, which included his labbits. Thanks to a Medicine Hat Media commentator we now know that the rabbits that were appearing around town were not your average rabbits, they were labbits by Frank Kozik.

Frank Kozik is not a Canadian, and possibly has never even been to the Hat, let alone Alberta. So I’m kind of breaking the mold a little bit here by doing a non-Alberta/Medicine Hat related Art Exposure edition. But a fan of his work lives in this city, and out of whatever motivation spray paints his iconic labbits around town. Why? Boredom? The thrill? Either way, I like it because it is a form of expression different from the typical gang-graffiti that loses itself in its esoteric representation – the labbits, on the other hand, represent something visual and iconic. But let me backtrack a little bit: I am not condoning graffiti in any way, shape, or form. All that I am saying is that I see more merit in this type of graffiti than the standard swear word/gang signature. It is still vandalism and will still get removed, there’s no way around that.

Click here to check our previous “Rabbits with Moustaches” post

I am sure many people in Medicine Hat have witnessed the large amount of Rabbit-with-moustache graffiti that has sprung up over the last half a year or so around town.

The graffiti can be seen in a number of places, including:

• Under the Trans Canada bridge on 13th Ave
• Mary Browns
• Stop sign by Superstore
• Building facades along Kingsway
• Concrete barriers and power boxes on Dunmore road (some have been removed)

My original suspicion was that the rabbit-with-moustache stencil was made by someone in the Visual Communications program at the Medicine Hat College. I was later told by a friend of Medicine Hat Media’s that there was also a spraypainting of the stencil in one of the bathrooms at the College, which justifies my suspicion.

Unfortunately I do not have an image of the rabbit-with-moustache because I do not have a camera, but if you see it, you will immediately recognize it. Somebody send in some pictures!