THE PUNK ROCK MUSEUM HOSTS EXHIBIT OF ART BY APES HOSTED BY THE B-52s

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

L: Kate Pierson; R: Dylan painting.
(Photos courtesy Kate Pierson) 

THE PUNK ROCK MUSEUM ANNOUNCES EXHIBIT OF ART BY APES HOSTED BY KATE PIERSON, CINDY WILSON, FRED SCHNEIDER OF THE B-52s AUG. 31

Click Here for Downloadable Photos

 LAS VEGAS (August 2023) – The Punk Rock Museum announces it will host an exhibit of art by apes hosted by Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson and Fred Schneider of The B-52s. The event will take place on Thursday, Aug. 31, from 3 to 5 p.m. and will benefit Save The Chimps, a sanctuary for chimpanzees rescued from labs and the entertainment industry.

The band collaborated with chimp artists at the sanctuary to create a collection of paintings based on the vivid covers of the band’s most popular albums. The paintings will be on display at The Punk Rock Museum Aug. 25 through Sept. 1 and are available to purchase online or in person on August 31. Space is limited at this intimate benefit; tickets can be booked in advance at www.thepunkrockmuseum.com. 100% of the net proceeds will benefit Save the Chimps. A limited edition signed poster from the collection will be available for $52 at the event and through The B-52s website: www.theb52s.com.

 The painting process and the sanctuary can be viewed in this brief video set to the band’s hit “Roam,” and photos are available here.

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE B-52s AND SAVETHECHIMPS.ORG:
Chimpanzees share 98% of humans’ DNA and are similar to humans emotionally, physically—and even creatively. To spotlight the artistry of apes, art rockers The B-52s partnered with residents at Save the Chimps to paint a collection of abstract pieces that will be on display at The Punk Rock Museum Aug. 25 through Sept. 1.

The acrylic paintings by chimpanzees are based on the vivid covers of some of The B-52s most popular albums. Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, and Cindy Wilson painted the base coats and chose color combos for the chimps to use at the sanctuary in Fort Pierce, Florida.

“I’m so glad that I visited Save the Chimps—I was blown away by all the social and artistic activities they offer to the residents,” says Pierson, who toured the sanctuary last summer. “And, boy, can some of those chimps paint! I am honored to collaborate with the artists among them.”

The paintings range in size and price, and all proceeds benefit Save the Chimps, a 150-acre refuge for more than 220 chimps rescued from laboratories and the entertainment industry.

ABOUT THE B-52S:
It is well known that The B-52s are The World’s Greatest Party Band. Nearly 40 years and over 20 million albums into their career, there can be no doubt as to why they remain one of rock music’s most beloved and enduring bands. Any mystery concerning the band’s longevity and ongoing appeal is immediately solved when exposed to a B-52s concert experience. From groundbreaking songs like “Rock Lobster,” “Dance This Mess Around,” “Private Idaho,” “Roam” and “Deadbeat Club” to chart-topping hits like “Love Shack,” to their thrilling reemergence on the pop scene with their 2008 CD Funplex, which bowed at No. 11 on the Top 200. The B-52s’ unforgettable dance-rock tunes start a party every time their music begins.

Formed on an October night in 1976 following drinks at an Athens, Georgia, Chinese restaurant, the band played their first gig at a friend’s house on Valentine’s Day 1977. Naming themselves after Southern slang for exaggerated ‘bouffant’ hairdos, the newly christened B-52s (Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson and Ricky Wilson) began weekend road trips to New York City for gigs at CBGB’s and a handful of other venues. Before long, their thrift store aesthetic and genre-defying songs were the talk of the post-punk underground. A record deal soon followed and their self-titled debut disc, produced by Chris Blackwell, sold more than 500,000 copies on the strength of their first singles, the garage rock party classic “Rock Lobster,” and “52 Girls.” The album placed at No. 152 on Rolling Stone’s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” and No. 99 on VH1’s “Greatest Albums of All Time.” The B-52s began to attract fans far beyond the punk clubs of the Lower East Side — galvanizing the pop world with their ‘stream-of-consciousness’ approach to songwriting and outrageous performance. They had clearly tapped into a growing audience for new music that was much larger than anyone could have anticipated.

The B-52s recently wrapped an acclaimed multi-city farewell tour. Following on the heels of the tour’s success, the band will take over The Venetian Theatre in Las Vegas for an exclusive residency. https://www.ticketmaster.com.

 ABOUT THE PUNK ROCK MUSEUM:
The Punk Rock Museum is the world’s most comprehensive attraction dedicated to the history of the music, culture and absurdity of punk rock. Located in Las Vegas, it houses artifacts and memorabilia from across the world’s punk scene—such as handwritten lyrics, instruments, clothing, photos, flyers and artwork. Encompassing 12,000 square feet at 1422 Western Ave., between the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown, the museum celebrates the genre’s substantial cultural impact over the last half-century. For more information about The Punk Rock Museum, go to thepunkrockmuseum.com and follow on Facebook and Instagram @thepunkrockmuseum.

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