Dran – Exhibit

Description

In his 2010 exhibit, Dran presents a powerful and thought-provoking painting that captures the essence of captivity and artistic expression. The painting portrays an older monkey perched atop a dead tree stump within the confines of a zoo, using a set of multicoloured crayons to create works of art.

The primate’s artistic talent and creative flair are prominently displayed despite his limited environment. The wall in the background is adorned with an impressive array of colourful drawings that showcase his artistic vision and imagination. The monkey’s drawings depict the visitors and the iron bars, revealing the limited view of the world that his captivity permits, and also, humans belong behind the bars. The inside of the monkey’s cage is littered with crumpled-up drawings and crayons, a stark contrast to the neglected outside environment filled with rubbish, discarded coffee cups, and cigarette butts.

As the monkey draws, a visitor stands transfixed, munching on a ripe banana, observing the primate with great interest.

This satirical twist is a poignant commentary on the lack of human evolution and that the paintings ultimately reveal humans caged behind bars.