Young Howler (Alouatta Sara) II

Jennifer Hooper is a London based visual artist who travels regularly in an exploratory way to inform her practice. She studied drawing at the Royal Drawing School, painting and photography at Camberwell College of Art and anatomy at University College London. She has exhibited extensively in this country and overseas. Inspired by the natural world and our place within it, Hooper’s paintings are careful observations of the relationship between beauty and melancholy and darkness and light. There is a dialogue with the romantic era where imagery and process holds historical significance. Also engaged with the contemporary artists’ role in cross-disciplinary collaboration, the artist has worked with NGOs and conservationists on international projects, highlighting and responding to environmental concerns. “Inspired by Animalia and the natural world, my paintings are careful observations of opposites - the relationship between beauty and melancholy and that of darkness and light. I strive to depict the duality of nature and our changing relationship to it. I’m engaged with the contemporary artists’ role in cross-disciplinary collaborations between creatives, conservationists and scientists; how this can communicate about and impact upon understanding of environmental concerns.” “In 2013 I spent three months living and working in the Bolivian Amazon at the International NGO and animal refuge Communidad Inti Wara Yassi. Artwork in response to the experience was the basis for several later exhibitions which addressed the illegal wildlife trade and deforestation in Bolivia. ”˜Young Howler (Alouatta Sara) I’ and ”˜Young Howler (Alouatta Sara) II’ are two infant female Howler monkeys that I spent time caring for and observing whilst in Bolivia. The monochrome studies are unsentimental portraits imbued with a stillness. It is common for young monkeys such as these to be traded and as pets.”