Knuckle Walking by artists Gillie and Marc
CLICK HERE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO WWF UK
VISIT THIS CHIMP AT LONDON BRIDGE CITY BEFORE HE MOVES TO HIS FOREVER HOME ON 18 JAN 2023
NAMES
Day and Light
TITLE
Wild Chimp Knuckle Walking
GENDER
Females
AGE
13 and 1
Chimps have two arms and two legs, yet unlike us, they tend to prefer walking on all fours, making them quadrupedal. Just like us, they have opposable thumbs which they also have on their feet too, known as opposable toes (handy!) To help with walking on all fours, their arms and legs are the same lengths. They bend their long fingers under and walk on their knuckles, yet walk on the sole of their foot. Walking like this makes it easier to climb trees and carry around small it's of food in their knuckles as they wander about.
There are many theories about the evolution of knuckle-walking. Some argue that it originated from fist walking seen in orangutans which adapted for a more terrestrial life, rather than one predominantly in the trees. Others suggest that they may have come from a bipedal ancestor which explains why they also walk bipedally on occasion. Whatever the truth, chimpanzees have adapted to their life on their knuckles very well.
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
VELUX Group takes climate action
VELUX Group is the first company in the construction industry to take responsibility for both its past and future carbon emissions. The global roof window manufacturer will finance forest projects that capture carbon equivalent to its entire historical emissions from its operations by its 100-year anniversary in 2041. This will be achieved through a 20-year partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) by investing in forest conservation projects in some of the most biodiversity rich landscapes in the world. The projects will generate benefits for people, nature and climate. In addition, by 2030, the Group will achieve a 100% reduction in its operational emissions by improving energy efficiency and switching to renewable electricity, and a 50% reduction in its value chain emissions. This is in line with climate science (the 1.5 degree Celsius target for global warming). The Group will achieve these ambitious targets in collaboration with suppliers, partners and other organisations.
