About
Bunny Matthews
Writer, illustrator, cartoonist, sardonic dude. Bunny was one of New Orleans' most beloved and original creative voices.
Bunny Matthews was one of New Orleans' most beloved and original creative voices. He was a writer, illustrator, and cartoonist whose work captured the city's sound, texture, humor, and spirit with unmatched authenticity.
For decades, his art gave New Orleans back to itself: in the dialect of his characters, the warmth of his distinctive line work, and the irreverent wit that could only have been influenced and nurtured by the streets of this singular city.
From his iconic comic strips to his cultural commentary, Bunny documented the neighborhoods, rhythms, and people of New Orleans at a time when independent artistic voices were essential to the city's identity.
His work appeared in alternative weeklies, galleries, and community spaces. He made art not for institutions, but for the people who lived the culture he depicted.
Bunny Matthews didn't just document New Orleans; he captured its spirit, sound, and look, pen in hand, telling the hard truth with a laugh and a raised eyebrow.
His Legacy
Why his work matters
Bunny's work was always about possibility and creativity: the possibility of seeing yourself in a drawing, of hearing the voice of your friends, family, and neighbors, of laughing at an unreal scene you happened upon, of creating something true and beautiful from the place you call home.
That irreverent, generous spirit, deeply rooted in place, is exactly what the Archive exists to preserve and pass on. His characters weren't caricatures; they were neighbors. His humor wasn't mockery; it was love, rendered in ink.
Explore the collection.
Discover the breadth of Bunny's work — from iconic comic strips to never-before-seen original illustrations.