Beyond Bars Statement

Beyond Bars is an exhibit created to give chimpanzees a voice, chimpanzees that are recovering from the pain, trauma and fear of laboratory research. Artist Valerie Romano is a volunteer at The Center for Captive Chimpanzee Care, a former laboratory that has been converted into a sanctuary by Save the chimps in Alamogordo, New Mexico. She has seen first-hand the emotional and physical suffering of these animals, our closest primate kin. Most of their lives have been spent alone in small concrete cells. But today, thanks to the enormous efforts of many dedicated people, the animals are treated with dignity and respect in a compassionate and nurturing environment, as they are brought out of isolation and introduced into group life.

Each chimp is a unique individual, intelligent and engaging. Romano has been capturing their moods and personalities in a series of remarkable portraits since she began volunteering at the center two years ago. Between the care taking duties of washing blankets and preparing meals, she sits outside their cages, looking beyond the bars to connect and communicate with them.

Calling her involvement with the chimpanzees "life-changing," Romano takes viewers right to the heart of that experience; in these direct, compassionate, and moving portraits, she reveals her subjects' souls and gives voice to their silence.