15 life-sized sculptures of gorillas have been installed around Covent Garden — for a limited time only.
The Tusk Gorilla Trail features artworks which have been designed by individuals working in the worlds of art, design, film, photography and comedy. They include:
- Rolling Stones musician Ronnie Wood, who is an ambassador for Tusk, and his wife, actor and producer Sally Wood;
- Respected photographer Rankin;
- Artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman, whose neon artworks have previously graced Tate Britain and Covent Garden;
- Artist Adam Dant — whose work we've featured several times in the past.
The trail is in aid of African conservation charity Tusk, and aims to raise awareness of — and money for — the plight of African wildlife, particularly gorillas. The population of both Eastern and Western African gorillas is critically endangered, and these sculptures highlight threats to their existence, and the people and solutions working for their survival.
A map will be available on the Covent Garden website to help you track them down (one to keep the kids busy in the school holidays, perhaps?), and each sculpture has a QR code where you can make a donation to Tusk.
Once the event is over, the sculptures will be auctioned off, to raise further funds for Tusk.
It follows similar trails at other locations around London, including lions and rhinos, (for the same charity, Tusk), chimps (in aid of WWF), and more lions (in aid of Born Free).
Tusk Gorilla Trail at Covent Garden takes place 14 July-October 2023. It's free to visit — though donations to Tusk are encouraged.
Also in London at the moment are the Morph sculpture trail (free, until 20 August) and Sculpture in the City (free, until Spring 2024).
