The King of Pop’s pet primate has been picking up a paintbrush during his retirement and his pictures are to go on display at a Miami gallery next month.
Bubbles, who took up painting after being sent to live out his days at a sanctuary, has been knocking out canvasses for the show called Apes That Paint.
Now aged 34, Jackson’s former pal is the oldest chimp at the Center for Great Apes at Wauchula, Florida.
He has two pictures among 50 works for sale by the sanctuary’s apes during the 10-day exhibition.
Cash will go to running the home, which costs £1.5million a year.
Other primates exhibiting include chimps Jonah and Jacob, who co-starred with actor Mark Wahlberg in 2001 movie Planet of the Apes.
Adam Brand, owner of Frames USA & Art Gallery, which is holding the show, said: “Apes are artists. They can and they do paint.
“We don’t judge. You could look at an artist like Picasso and say ‘wow amazing’, or ‘seriously he’s a crazy artist’.
“Apes are extremely creative creatures and painting is an enriching experience for them. They are using paint to express that.
“Purchasing a piece of original art by an ape is a collectible. It creates conversation, it is a form of expression and it is rare.”
Sanctuary founder Patti Ragan said Bubbles is mad about painting, but his favourite pastime is playing in a water tub.
She said: “Some apes don’t like to paint. Others get interested in it and paint and paint and paint.
“Apes definitely have certain styles they like to paint. Some enjoy long brush strokes while others just compose a series of dots.
“Painting gives them a focus, an activity they find interesting. About half our 48 apes like to paint.”
Patti, a former director of Zoo Miami, founded the 120-acre sanctuary 24 years ago after working with apes in Borneo.
