Gorizambard.

Back blip alert!
Posted 27 March, 2013.

The "Wow! Gorillas" exhibition was to raise awareness of Bristol Zoo Gardens, the plight of gorillas in the wild and to raise funds for the conservation projects of critically endangered gorillas here and in Cameroon, as well as Wallace & Gromit's Grand Appeal which is raising funds for the cardiology unit at Bristol Children's Hospital.
61 artists, in some cases groups of artists, each painted one of 61 life size silver back gorillas which were spread around the city. At the end of the exhibition they were auctioned and raised £427,300 for the two charities.
This sculpture, entitled 'Gorizambard,' proved to be the most popular, fetching the highest amount at £23,000.

101 small gorillas, which have also appeared around the city this summer, will be returned to the schools and nurseries which sponsored and decorated them. These included one at a school in Cameroon.

Auctioneer Andrew Morgan said the Wow! Gorillas are lasting works of art and mementos of Bristol Zoo's milestone year. "These wonderful gorillas have been a spectacular success and I was delighted and honoured to be asked to auction them," he said. The lucky bidders who bought a Wow! Gorilla will, not only be directly supporting two excellent charities, but will be acquiring a lasting and valuable work of art."

Gorizambard, painted by Tim Miness and sponsored by the bridge trust, was displayed at Clifton Suspension Bridge which was, of course, famously built by Brunel, opened in 1864 and is still in use today by modern traffic.

There were many complaints that the gorilla is missing the cigar - but then so is the official statue.