Rabbits in the limelight

Last night the Dreamspace Gallery held the private view and prize presentation for the UK winners of the Design Against Fur poster competition.

Now in its eighth year, the graphic design competition is organised by Respect for Animals. Open to students around the country, the competition now attracts over 12 000 entries in nearly 50 countries, including over 500 from the UK and Ireland.

Accompanying the stunning display of winning posters, a screen showed the winners of the Design Against Fur animation competition.

This year’s subject was rabbits in the fur trade. Designs ranged from the shocking, to the cute, to the downright disturbing. Judging by the large crowd at Dreamspace, the entrants were, on the whole, pretty young – and had produced a range of exceptional work.

Nicki Brooks, director of Respect for Animals, says, ‘We are delighted that these talented students have produced such a great range of eye catching posters exposing the reality of the cruel fur trade.’

Jessica Butcher’s chilling poster showed a waif-like, sullen-faced model type sporting a jacket made of skinned rabbits – flesh, blood, fur and all, while Lauren Dafter and Jill O’Donnell’s entry was rather more light-hearted, depicting Lady Gaga in her famous Hello Kitty dress, with the caption ‘Make Fashion fun not Fatal’.

The winners of the poster competition’s first prize were Chris Lishman and Jennifer Cheng; and joint second prize was awarded to Georgina Martin and Joseph Stayte. In addition, ten students were awarded Specially Commended certificates and another seventeen awarded Commended certificates.

The exhibition will run until Friday 24th September 2010 at Dreamspace Gallery, 1-3 Dufferin Street, London, EC1Y. Further information and details about the 2011 competition is available at: www.respectforanimals.org and www.inFURmation.com