Patrick Hall

Plot

The work of Lisa Roet is powerful and dramatic depicting bestial and savage imagery in a scientific and factual way. Her Primate pieces communicate her intimate relationship with her subject, emphasising the notion of change and evolution while verging on the humorous and absurd. The idea of change is central to her art, and its presence is obvious not only in her life and in that of her subjects, but also in the way she constructs her images and art. The artworks that constitute Primates vary in media, ranging from charcoal drawings to polyurethane sculptures to video, and challenge the audience with a number of issues. These are the role of the ape as our ancestor, the contrast of the savage and the civilised, and the use of animals, chimpanzees, solely for entertainment or amusement.