DEAD dolly conceptual artist Sasha Consiglio may have left York for pastures southern but she will return to the city next week for the launch of her new show, and this time she has gone soft.

Sasha caused a stink in the summer of 2003 with her Dolly Mixtures exhibition at the Slug and Lettuce bar. This display of mutilated children's dolls in miniature coffins that provoked customers to walk out in protest.

Next Monday, at VJ's Art Bar in Finkle Street, the former fashion shop worker opens Bunnies in E-motion, her exhibition of bunnies in soft fabric displayed in boxes and eight canvasses of emotional outpourings.

There is nothing soft about the content, however. The artwork is Sasha's reaction to the break-up of her relationship with her boyfriend that prompted her move to a London canal boat. "All the bunnies are in different colours, and all have different emotions. They're all just really sad with a story to tell about what relationships do to you.

"They've each got a name, such as Zeke, who's all in black and goes around collecting the heads of his exes, and the ex-boyfriend bunny, Nubny, who's the joker of the pack, gambling with love."

As for the eight canvasses: "They're all in pink, with words sewn on all over them, words such as betrayal, words expressing how I felt," says Sasha, pictured above.

"At first I couldn't stop crying because I thought it was all too soon but then I thought I've got to get this out of my head, and the only way to do that is through my art. It's been good therapy."

Bunnies In E-motion will run from June 6 to July 31... or will it?

IF you still have a yen for dolls in coffins get yourself along to Micklegate, York. The Diary recently saw dolls dressed as vampires lying in caskets for sale in Feel The Steel, at £11.99.

NEWS that Brenda Silman, of Rawcliffe, York, won a car in a super soaraway Evening Press contest earlier this month has made it overseas.

"Just heard that Brenda Silman has recently won a car in a competition, after a heart operation," emails ex-pat Jon Gorman.

"Congratulations Brenda. You deserve it. I now live in Madrid but remember what a good neighbour she was four years ago.

"Love to Brenda Rosebush (a private joke she will understand...)"

Care to explain, Brenda?

OUR apologies to the man with the cushiest job in the world. We spelled his name wrong.

The press spokesman for Sam Smith's brewery is Simon "No Comment" Poynton, not as stated. A colleague of Simon pointed out our error.

"He's not very happy. We're sitting in the pub and everyone's taking the mickey out of him."

What have we to say about this glaring inaccuracy? You've guessed it.

No comment.

Updated: 09:21 Monday, May 30, 2005