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28 bronze chimpanzees have appeared on the Thames* in a free public art trail to support conservation projects.
Chimps Are Family is located between London Bridge and Tower Bridge* on the south side of the river. The sculptures depict 18 behaviors and emotions of chimpanzees – with whom we humans share 98% of our DNA – including love, grief, friendship, and conflict.
You’ll find the chimps all over the area, near landmarks like HMS Belfast*, Hay’s Galleria, and the Unicorn Theatre.
Each chimp has a QR code to scan to get information about that particular chimp and learn more about conservation efforts. Many subspecies are endangered and on the verge of extinction in some native countries due to deforestation and bushmeat hunting.
For younger London fans, searching for the statues and snapping photos is a fun way to pass the time, but there is also a serious component. The outdoor exhibition was put together supporting the conservation organization WWF UK. An online fundraiser runs in parallel (you can also “adopt” one of the statues using the QR code). The money raised will go towards protecting chimpanzee habitats in Central Africa.
The bronze statues are the work of artists and activists Gillie and Marc, who were also responsible for the lion exhibit in Waterloo to benefit Born Free and the rabbit woman and dog statue in Spitalfields, among other projects.
Gillie and Marc designed the sculptures to be interactive and inviting. We can get as close as we want, touch their faces, examine their hands, and even hug them – so you’ll have difficulty dragging your little chimps away.
Artists Gillie and Marc Schattner say:
This exhibit will help people see the similarities between us and chimpanzees. Like humans, they laugh at funny things, get annoyed with each other, and have great bonds of friendship. We hope that when people see how similar we really are, they will want to help protect them.
Chimps Are Family is on view through January 16, 2023 – so mark your calendars for this site if you have kids to entertain during summer vacation. Visiting is free, but you should consider donating to the fundraising campaign. And when sharing images on social media, use the hashtags #LoveTheLast and #ChimpsAreFam
