Communication Skills by artists Gillie and Marc
CLICK HERE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO WWF UK
VISIT THIS SCULPTURE AT KINGSTON UPON THAMES FROM 27 JAN
NAME
Rachel Anne
TITLE
Wild Chimp Communication Skills
GENDER
Female
AGE
21
Chimpanzees have their own complex system of communication. They may not do it verbally like us, but they sure can be vocal! They also have many facial expressions to convey their messages. This ability to communicate shows a higher level of intelligence.
Chimpanzees use over 30 different vocalisations for different situations. Some of these we would even recognise as similar our own, like a scream when they’re scared or angry, a whimper when distressed, and even a grunt of satisfaction with good food.
Non-verbal communication is also very important. Touch such as holding hands and grooming is incredibly important to show love, support, and build special bonds. They also have very expressive faces. When they’re nervous they will crack what looks like a big toothy smile, smile when they’re happy, when they’re playing, they relax and open their mouth, and they even pout when under threat, begging, or searching for their mothers!
HOW TO HELP
Based off real animals that Gillie and Marc met while studying, the public will be able to meet individual animals. This will help them to realise that there are apes with unique personalities, thoughts and emotions. The loss of one individual is just as devastating as losing an individual human.
With public art, more people will come into contact with these sculptures, will stop and consider them, will take a photograph, and will discuss this with their friends and family. Through this increased exposure, the message of love, family, and conservation will be spread much further than any piece of art in a gallery ever could. It will bring people into close contact and will help them to fall in love. With love comes a greater urge to want to create a change and save the great apes.
The sculpture will be aligned with the hashtags #LoveTheLast and #ChimpsAreFamily to raise unparalleled awareness about the sculpture’s cause across the globe.
To help protect the great apes you can adopt a chimp and help them via the WWF: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/chimpsarefamily
If you are interested in buying chimpanzee related art, you will also be directly helping real chimps in the wild with 30% going to WWF to continue their fantastic work for chimpanzee conservation: Click here to browse art > https://gillieandmarc.com/collections/chimps
ABOUT GILLIE AND MARC
Gillie and Marc’s highly coveted public artworks can be found worldwide including in New York, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sydney. They are Archibald Prize finalists, won the Chianciano Biennale in Italy, took out the Allens People’s Choice Award in 2016 and 2018 and Kids’ Choice Award in the 2016 Sculpture by the Sea and received the Bayside Arts Festival People's Choice Award in 2019 in Sydney.
The husband-and-wife duo are on a mission to make art for a better tomorrow. They are best known for their beloved characters, Rabbitwoman and Dogman, who tell the autobiographical tale of two opposites coming together as best friends and soul mates.
Gillie and Marc are also passionate eco-warriors and have dedicated their lives to protecting nature.
Gillie grew up with the wildlife in Zambia and Marc studied chimpanzees in Tanzania as a young man. Over time, the artists developed a deep appreciation for all living things and a desire to preserve the magnificence of the natural world.
Through their art, Gillie and Marc aim to transform passive audiences into passionate advocates for animal conservation. Their mission is to use their work as a platform to continue spreading awareness about endangerment, which will ultimately lead to change and save species from extinction.
Their art has raised hundreds of thousands in donations for the many wildlife charities and causes they support through their project Love The Last.
Please follow @gillieandmarcart
SPONSORED BY
Jess H Capps
I was inspired by Dr. Jane Goodall to focus my resources towards creating a positive impact on the interconnected dynamics between people and animals. I am currently enrolled in the Institute for Humane Education’s graduate program in order to become a more effective animal advocate. I am honored to sponsor a piece of this exhibition because it invites everyone to consider that, as humans, we have immense power on this planet but we also share our world with non-human animals who are here with us, not for us.
In addition to the threat of habitat loss due to humans, Chimpanzees have been brutally harmed by us for decades. We have imprisoned chimps in our laboratories, kept them as exotic pets in our households, and forced them to perform for our profit in the entertainment industry. The unnatural situations which we have forced these intelligent beings into have caused them to suffer. In their own way, chimps have communicated their desire to be wild and free, but we have largely ignored their appeals. Please consider supporting legislation to ban abusive practices and donating to aid organizations to preserve their lives in their natural habitats.
