BUBBLES IN PALETTE OF THE APES
MICHAEL Jackson’s chimp Bubbles has sold five of his paintings to raise cash for the celebrity ape sanctuary where he lives.
Twelve of his works were among 60 produced by his retired pals, including stars of Hollywood blockbuster Planet of the Apes.
Bubbles’ paintings – all labelled Untitled and with his signature bold brush strokes and vibrant use of colour – sold for £570 each.
He turned to art in his retirement at the sanctuary after years living with the troubled King of Pop, who died aged 50 in June 2009. Bubbles, now 34, is the oldest resident at the Center for Great Apes in Wauchula, Florida, which costs £1.5million a year to run.
His paintings were snapped up within hours of the 10- day Apes That Paint exhibition, which opened on Friday night. The rest are still on sale.
Yansi Meoqui, who sold them at his Frames USA & Art Galleryry in Miami, said: “They were incrededibly popular and certainly show w a very individual style. Wee usually get a lot of fine art lovers into our gallery but there was a real mix of people to see these works. Some are serious art collectors. Others are folk who just like chimps.” Bubbles was Jacko’s constant companion at his Neverland ranch, where he slept in a crib an and used the star’s bathroom. B But he became too boisterous and wa was offloaded in 2004, arriving at the sa sanctuary a year later. Founder Patti Regan said: “Some ap apes don’t like to paint. Others get int interested in it and paint and paint an and paint. We just give them paper a and paints and see if they like it.”