The Giant Pink Rabbit Left to Rot in the Alps. #history

The Giant Pink Rabbit is an art installation created in 2005 by the Austrian artist collective Gelitin, located on Colletto Fava Hill in the Piedmont region of Italy. Officially titled "Hase" (which means "rabbit" in German), the piece is a massive pink rabbit sculpture, measuring 60 meters long and 6 meters high. Made of knitted fabric, the structure was placed lying on the hilltop and was designed to gradually decompose over time in nature.

The presence of a giant pink rabbit in the middle of the Alps emphasizes the unexpected and irrational aspects of art. It reflects Gelitin’s humorous approach, which challenges the seriousness of the art world. The slow decay of the piece is a commentary on the impermanence of art and consumer culture. While Gelitin described Hase as “a gift to the world,” they also celebrated its eventual disappearance.

The rabbit appears to be part of the landscape and interacts with its surroundings. Visitors were able to climb on or even enter the sculpture, creating a physical connection between nature and art. By combining a cute image (a pink bunny) with an unsettling scale and the concept of decay, the installation evokes both wonder and discomfort.

Since it was left to decay naturally from 2005 onwards, Hase has gradually lost its original appearance. As of 2025, the sculpture is likely significantly deteriorated or completely gone, but it remains a pop culture icon thanks to Google Earth images and photographs. Gelitin views this process of disappearance as an integral part of the artwork itself.