《TAIPEI TIMES》 Artist sculpts tiny rabbits ahead of lunar new year

By Weng Yu-huang and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Artist Chen Forng-shean （陳逢顯） has sculpted a collection of tiny golden rabbits to mark the upcoming Year of the Rabbit, which is to begin on Jan. 22 next year.

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The collection, the artist’s smallest creations to date, are on display at Chen Forng-Shean Miniature Art Museum in New Taipei City’s Sindian District （新店）, alongside other sculptures in his collections of zodiac animals, including golden mice, bulls and tigers.

Chen took 100 attempts to craft the five sets of rabbit sculptures — One Tiny Rabbit on a Fingertip （指尖上的1隻小兔子）, Two Millimeter-sized Rabbits （毫米尺寸的2隻兔子）, Three Rabbits Before the Eye （眼睛前的3隻兔子）, Two Rabbits Pulling up a Radish （2隻兔子拔蘿蔔） and Ten Rabbits in a Perfect Reunion （10隻兔子團圓氣氛十全十美） — over six months, he said.

The minuscule sculptures, with details so fine that they can only be seen through a magnifying glass, are no larger than 10mm and express his wish for a prosperous and peaceful new year for Taiwan, he said.

The hardest part of sculpting the rabbits is maintaining a stable hand while manipulating the chisel, as an errant twitch could destroy the sculpture, he said, adding that he usually holds his breath while working.

Chen’s favorite pieces are Two Rabbits Pulling up a Radish and Ten Rabbits in a Perfect Reunion, he said.

The former sculpture, as its name implies, is of a radish being dragged by a rabbit that is being dragged by a second rabbit in a comical scene, while the latter portrays rabbits talking, eating and interacting at a New Year’s Eve feast, he said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES