The Denim Gorilla

Somewhat unorthodox and lost on many, the art of taxidermy is well and alive, and its legacy is continued by many unique artists around the world, including our collaborators Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren. The word "taxidermy” derives from Ancient Greek, meaning “arrangement of skin,” a testament to its lost-lasting tradition. Taxidermy is the craft of preserving and mounting animals to create lifelike displays, and is often used for scientific, educational, and decorative purposes. Instead of preserving the actual body of the animal, taxidermists use its skin to create a replica in a mannequin-like form.

Dating back to Ancient Egypt, this practice began to preserve animals as sacred offerings or bury them with their owners. This early example lacked lifelike appearance, and mostly focused on preservation of the body. Modern taxidermy, meanwhile, focuses on realistic representations, often fused with artistic interpretations. Remerging in the 19th century, taxidermy was popularized by museums and natural history enthusiasts. It debuted as an art form at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, with notable attendees like Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Charles Dickens.

Dutch artists Jaap Sinke and Ferry van Tongeren are the epitome of eccentric. Not only do they practice one of the most unconventional crafts, but they also elevate it to an entirely different level. Placing the animals in unnatural, artistic and bizarre positions, they redefine what taxidermy can be on a global scale. The two met in 1994 when they both worked as advertising creatives. Van Tongeren left to start his own business, which he ended up selling to turn his attention to taxidermy. Studying under the guidance of notable Dutch taxidermists, he landed a position at the National Museum of Natural History in Leiden, which holds one of the oldest and largest taxidermy collections in the world.

Eventually, van Tongeren invited his old colleague to join him on the unconventional journey of taxidermy. That’s when, in 2013, they started collaborating under the name of Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren. Playfully considering Darwin their silent partner, they placed his name before their own as a tribute to the great naturalist and geologist. With extensive knowledge of art, history and science, they dedicated themselves to showcasing the beauty of nature in an extravagant way. Their first exhibition, ‘La vie de L’Eden,’ was a roaring success, leading to Damien Hirst buying out the whole collection. Since then, their work has been acquired by museums, collectors, investors, and creatives all over the world.

Pushing the boundaries of denim and taxidermy, Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren created the Denim Gorilla – a striking 3.5-meter-tall art piece. Crafted over the course of 1 year, 8 months, and 7 days, it combines 3D print technology and extensive amounts of denim, steel, marble, and glue. Showcasing anatomy stitched in denim, this art piece was inspired by écorché: a detailed drawing of an anatomical figure, revealing musculature beneath the skin. Like taxidermy, it was historically used by scientists and artists to study the human form.

More than an homage to evolution, the Denim Gorilla is a nod to art and nature, science and craft, and the balance in between. The primate stands in contrapposto, similar to the posture of classical sculptures or contemporary models, highlighting its intelligence and complexity. With its muscular form sculpted in denim, the piece is an expression of our anatomical design principles, bridging the artistic tradition with modern innovation.

890 kilos of marble
75 kilos of steel
150 muscles
700 hours of sewing
3,000 meters of stitching
56 m2 of denim
65 kilometers of PETG filament
23.6 liters of glue
100 liters of blood, sweat & tears

The Denim Gorilla will debut at the opening of Darwin, Sinke & van Tongeren’s new Art Zoo Museum (formerly the Bible Museum) in Amsterdam on June 26.