For art, music and animal lovers alike, the legendary pop band known as The B-52s are revealing colorful canvases created by a unique group of artists for this year’s Miami Art Week — chimpanzees!
Named “Wild Planet” after the band’s second album, the exhibit is set to benefit Save the Chimps, a Florida-based sanctuary for chimpanzees rescued from laboratories, the pet trade and entertainment industry. The collection of 52 paintings have been co-produced by 16 of the sanctuary’s most artistic primates and are available for sale at this year’s Spectrum Miami art fair, which coincides with Art Basel Miami Beach.
“We anticipate the exhibit at this year’s Spectrum Miami to be a huge success,” said Dan Mathews, Save the Chimps events director. “As our closest relatives in the animal world, chimps and human share many traits, including creative impulses.”
Check out a video of Cheetah, a chimp painting at the sanctuary, below:
Band members Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson primed canvases in various background colors before the chimps added their own spin during their leisure time.
“I’m so glad that I visited Save the Chimps, I was blown away by all the social and artistic activities they offer to the residents,” said Pierson, who toured the sanctuary last summer. “And boy can some of those chimps paint! I am honored to collaborate with the artists among them.”
Each piece in the new collection of works, ranging between $1,000 and $5,000 in price, is named after a B-52s song or lyric and signed by the band for the five-day art fair taking place at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center. Nearly half the collection has already been purchased by fans prior to the exhibit’s opening night on December 6.
Private collectors and known supporters of Save The Chimps include P!nk, Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson. Along with the art, a limited-edition poster will also be available to purchase for $50 during the fair.
Now in its 13th year, Spectrum Miami will be located adjacent to its sister fair, Red Dot Miami, which is in its 18th year. The “two fairs under one roof” will take place December 6 through 10 at the Mana Wynwood Convention Center, 2217 NW 5th Ave. (at NW 22nd Street) in Miami. Both will collectively showcase over 1,000 artists among more than 40,000 international visitors and high-net-worth collectors.
To learn more about Save The Chimps, visit savethechimps.org and for more information and tickets to Spectrum Miami, visit redwoodartgroup.com/spectrum-miami/.