Lea and Suria

60x74cm

Charcoal on paper

2022

This Orangutan mother and her young daughter were two of many apes and monkeys that were tragically killed in a zoo fire on new years eve in 2019. Krefeld Zoo in Germany suffered terribly when on new years eve, four women from a neighbouring park, illegally lit lanterns to celebrate the new year. The lit lanterns landed on top of the zoos apehouse which very quickly lit on fire, killing all the chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, monkeys and birds housed inside. The Krefeld apehouse was a giant jungle-like greenhouse with tropical birds flying freely between the apes enclosures. It was the first of its kind, built in 1975 when zoos were beginning to become more conservation and education based. This drawing is a tribute to Lea and Suria and all the other victims of the Krefeld fire.