Frank Noelker
Born 1958, St. Louis, MO, lives and works in Storrs, CT
Rachel, 2002, C-print, 38 ½” x 38 ½”, Lent by the Artist, Courtesy Howard Yezerski Gallery, Boston, MA
Frank Noelker has been photographing animals in captivity for many years to show how their lives are completely affected by human intervention. His most recent work centers on chimpanzees retired from biomedical research, the entertainment industry, and the pet trade. Noelker visits sanctuaries where the chimps now live a protected life and photographs them in their current situations.
The artist’s chosen format is akin to studio portraiture. The chimps’ heads and shoulders fill each frame; they directly confront us, their eyes hold our gaze. Their sadness, dignity, and loneliness are impossible to ignore. Noelker identifies each chimp by name and tells his or her background story in accompanying texts. Describing Rachel’s previous life as a pet and research subject, Noelker emphasizes the psychological and physical toll she suffered: “She fell into an extended period of depression and was treated repeatedly for rashes and sores on her neck and wrists inflicted on herself during anxiety attacks. She also suffers from the ‘phantom hand’ syndrome, which has caused her to bite all of her nails to the quick, rubbing them until there is nothing left.” Noelker’s powerful and moving portraits raise awareness of the plight of these animals, and will possibly serve as a catalyst for future change.
