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Cody & Sable, Eternal Sky (Santa Fe Collection), 20 x 20, acrylic on canvas, unframed, 2024

The Santa Fe Collection was created primarily by survivors of the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. These rescued chimps are now living in sanctuary at Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida. Just like humans, a few of these survivors enjoy the practice of painting, and find art therapeutic in healing from a traumatic past.

About the artist, Cody: I was born in 1999 at the Coulston Foundation in Alamogordo, New Mexico, a biomedical laboratory with the worst record of primate care in the history of the Animal Welfare Act. I was taken from my mother at birth. When I was very young, I was sold into the entertainment industry. I lived with three other chimps, including Sable (who lives with me at STC) and Angel (who now lives at the Center for Great Apes).

From the beginning, everyone knew that our days in “entertainment” were numbered. Only very young chimps can be coerced into performing, often by physical intimidation and abuse. By the time chimps are seven or eight years old, they are simply too big, smart, and strong to control, and usually end up in biomedical laboratories or roadside zoos, where they spend the rest of their lives confined to cages.

In 2005, the Animal Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit on our behalf alleging violations of the California anti-cruelty statute and federal Animal Welfare Act. As a result of the lawsuit, Sable and I were returned to Save the Chimps (STC), where we both became members of Freddy’s family.

I was not yet a teenager when I first arrived in Florida, but since then I’ve grown into a striking adult with thick black hair and a handsome face. I am a rowdy, fun-loving guy who is full of energy and a bit of a goofball. I am very athletic, and enjoy painting and hanging out with my friends. Most of all, I love to run. One of my favorite games is to hide on my island waiting for the humans to drive a golf cart down the road. When they go by, I burst out of hiding and run along my island shoreline as fast as the golf cart. I always win the race!

About the artist, Sable: I was born December 16, 1999 to parents Kohei and Wes. I was born at The Coulston Foundation during a time when the lab was entering into extreme financial difficulty. To try to raise money, Coulston sold a number of chimps to the entertainment business. I was purchased by a Hollywood trainer, who later agreed to get out of the chimp business and send me and my companion Cody to Save the Chimps, as a part of a court settlement.

Now, I’m back with my mom, Kohei, and we’re part of a big, boisterous chimpanzee family. I’m a huge fan of food and juice, and when I have a cup in hand, you’ll see me asking the staff for a refill. My favorite spot to enjoy a meal is from the comfort of a hammock, just relaxing and savoring every bite. Despite the staff’s efforts to keep them out of reach, I can’t resist grabbing the water hoses—thank goodness for long sticks on our island that help me in my mischievous plans. Living here, I’m just a happy, spirited chimp making the most of retirement!

This collection is part of the groundbreaking show, Interspecies: Human and Chimp Art Collaborations, July 13 – August 25, 2024

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Santa Fe Collection