“Good Morning” from David Greybeard

By Rhonda Dredge

The figure of David Greybeard became a flagship for the forest and its chimpanzees in Tanzania 60 years ago.

Now Melbourne will be under the patronage of this large but modest chimp.

A model was inflated just after 9am on the Hamer Hall on December 3.

David gradually appeared, bent forward and held out a friendly hand, his eyes turned down in a puzzled yet submissive glance.

David Greybeard is the first animal named rather than numbered by a scientist, Lisa Roet, his artist, said. “He’s a mirror to ourselves.”

Jane Goodall, the pioneering ecologist, met him in the forest and recognised the individuality of animal consciousness in the chimpanzee.

He stopped to show her the way after she spent four months trying to make contact with his group.

She stretched out her hand and offered him a nut but he wasn’t hungry so he squeezed her hand instead.

This, his latest incarnation, appears to be signalling a desire to learn from those crossing the Princes Bridge.

Arts Centre Melbourne and City of Melbourne dignitaries gathered for the “unveiling” of the sculpture, as well as artist Lisa Roet and maker Filipe Reynolds this month.

Filipe documented the four-minute inflation on his phone.

“This is the biggest in volume. I’ve done about six, one a year. This has a lot more detail,” he said.

The polyester and metallic lurex chimpanzee has been waiting in the wings since April, making it the first live performance at Arts Centre Melbourne since the pandemic hit.

“It’s nine-and-a-half-months since we said good morning,” Arts Centre CEO Claire Spencer said.

David will move on to other cities on December 22 •

Caption: Maker Filipe Reynolds Arena films the miraculous inflation of a chimpanzee on Hamer Hall.