Art Therapy

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Art Therapy for Your Closest Relatives
by Sean Yunker

In the world of art and media, a new group of artists are coming to prominence. Now, these painters, filmmakers and photographers aren't human at all, they are in fact, chimpanzees. How do Chimpanzees get the supplies and skills to paint? It isn't as simple as finding a paintbrush and leaving them on their own to figure it out. Their caretaker, a woman named Audra Allen, has for years been using art and multi media as a form of rehabilitation to help chimpanzees with their trauma. Audra Allen is a graduate of the New York Film Academy and has made many documentaries that have played at various film festivals all over the world. She became one of twelve people chosen to study at Gerald Durrell's (considered one of the world's greatest naturalists) zoo and foundation. She has a strong background in captive breeding management, rehabilitation and reintroduction of endangered species but has always focused on chimpanzees and gorillas. She has been in New York magazine and has been on Good Morning America twice.

Pet Therapy in Action .

Chimp working on art project.

Art is a visual language that allows chimps to express themselves without words yet still be understood by her, the human caregiver. Many chimps in captivity struggle with self-mutilation and trauma. Her teachings give the chimps routine in their lives which leads to stability. Stability is the first step in overcoming past traumas and work towards helping them create new and happy memories. She starts them on crayons and disposable cameras until they understand that paint isn't edible, and yes the cameras will break if you lose your temper and throw them against the wall. Yet years of diligent work with them have given the chimps the freedom and skills to create beautiful works of art that are based more on emotion and feeling than they are on a certain object or person.

Her latest goal is to build a chimpanzee sanctuary in the town of East Hampton to house chimps in need. There are currently two chimps living in a life or death situation. Murray, a fourteen year old male, and Casey a 19 year old female. They are living in a garage with a specially built cage. They have no heating, there is no light from the outdoors, and the cage is too small for them to get exercise. These chimps have not been outside in over 10 years even though they once entertained children at parties and made appearances on TV shows. These once loved chimpanzees deserve better.

Her work has got the attention of Ross School senior, Sean Yunker, who hopes to help her. For his senior project, he wishes to raise awareness for these art inclined primates. He hopes to do this by having an art show that displays nothing but chimpanzee paintings, photographs, and film. This art show, titled “Gimme Shelter” is going to be at the Ross School Art Gallery on December 19-21 from 5 to 8 pm. For three nights the works of these talented chimps will be up and we wish for you, the reader, to see for yourself what our closest relatives are capable of.

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