Planet of the apes: the ‘bizarre’ and tortured history of monkeys and humans
Ape Sh*t, a new zine by writer and designer Carrie McLaren, looks at the ways monkeys and apes have communicated to humans that they’re individuals too
TL;DR
- Zines, traditionally niche and homemade publications, are exploring unusual topics like the relationship between humans and monkeys.
- Carrie McLaren, creator of the zine Ape Sh*t, focuses on the "bizarre" and darkly funny history of human-monkey interactions.
- The first issue of Ape Sh*t details the rise and fall of Helping Hands, a Boston organization that provided "helper monkeys" to quadriplegics, highlighting the monkeys' difficulties and abuse.
- The zine also explores the history of organ grinder monkeys, detailing their abuse and the dangers they posed and faced.
- McLaren sees parallels between the consumer culture focus of her earlier zine, Stay Free!, and the power dynamics in human-non-human interactions.
- A former monkey trainer at Helping Hands, Alison Pascoe, provides testimony about the training methods and concerns about the organization.
- Envisioning Access (formerly Helping Hands) stated they stand by the human-animal bonds and acknowledge that care standards have evolved.
- The zine includes historical anecdotes of monkeys exhibiting revenge or escaping, as well as a section on capuchins in the wild.
- McLaren hopes her zine can serve as a teaching tool, using humor and clear language to discuss complex ideas about animal rights and interspecies communication.