In 2011, the Australian Bureau of Statistic Census revealed that one in four Australians were born overseas. As a Thai born Australian, Srivilasa is observant of cultural issues and the migration experience shared by so many people. To expand on this theme, Srivilasa was fascinated to discover that rabbits were introduced as part of a broad attempt by early colonists to make Australia like Britain. It was hoped that the game would flourish for hunting purposes and flourish they did!

Rabbit may look cute and cuddly, but they have been a persistent pest and invasive species in Australia for more than 150 years. Rabbits cause millions of dollars of damage to crops, contribute to soil erosion and threaten indigenous burrowing animals by competing for food. They have well and truly found Australia to be a happy land.

In these two major exhibitions at Scott Livesey Galleries in 2014 and Edwina Corlette Gallery in 2015, Srivilasa has created inhabitants of a porcelain kingdom and these sculptural creatures have much to tell us. Each unique figurine communicates through hand-modelled gesture, pattern, colour, and texture. Poetic messages offer insight into the human condition, raise issues about environmental issues, all with touch of wry humour and whimsy.

Srivilasa sees his figurative sculptures as ‘cross-species character’ created to embody a concept of ‘settlement’.

“Animals that are so cute often mask how bad they are for our environment.  Rabbits, feral cats are cute but are invaders! “ - Vipoo Srivilasa

Srivilasa uses images of cute animals as a double-edged analogy to explore his concern about the treatment of asylum seekers, the devastating ongoing effects of colonisation of Australia on Aboriginal people and his continuing investigation of the cultural fluidity between the East and West.