The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Josh Greenman <joshg1973 AT yahoo.com>]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2993558.stm

Chimp display is Biennale 'hit' 

An art display which features a chimpanzee trying to spell "utopia" using 
giant lettered
blocks has become a huge hit at Venice's Biennale exhibition, according to 
reports. 
The display, which features an Italian-resident chimpanzee called Lala, was 
created by
the Berlin-based Scandinavian artists Ingar Dragset and Michael Elmgreen. 

The show, Spelling U-T-O-P-I-A, features the 20-year-old chimp - who is a 
star of Italian
films including Bongo Bongo - has not yet managed to spell the word, it was 
reported in
The Guardian on Monday. 

The installation has been a hit despite the fact Lala has made only two brief 
appearances
in the festival's first two days. 

'True diva' 

In her first attempt, she nearly spelled the word. In her second, she formed 
the words
T-I-P, T-I-T and then O-U-T before throwing a tantrum, the paper reported. 

"You cannot mess with her. She is a true diva," Mr Elmgreen said. 
"Chimpanzees are very,
very strong animals. If they are really provoked, they could kill a human 
being." 

After her two days on show Lala has now returned to her home in Rome. 


Mr Elmgreen denied claims the chimpanzee had been mistreated by being forced 
to perform. 

"Lala is an old professional. She is the star of many Italian films... we 
didn't want her
to get distressed, so we were very careful to limit her appearances." 

While she was staying in Venice, Lala stayed at a secluded garden away from 
the city's
tourist hordes. 

Egypt controversy 

The Biennale, one of the biggest arts events in the world, is held every two 
years at the
Giardini gardens overlooking Venice's Lido. 

It has already caused controversy this year which Hungarian artists using a
3,500-year-old bust of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti in a video installation. 

The Egyptian government lodged a formal complaint to the Berlin Egyptian 
Museum, where
the bust is held, and demanded that the bust be returned to Egypt. 

The Biennale opened on Sunday and will run until November. 


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/2993558.stm