The Story Behind Ape of Monkeys
Some artworks are created in a matter of days; others take years to find their final form. For Ape of Monkeys, the story began back in 1993 when Belgian artist PACO painted a simple cartoon figure on canvas. What initially was nothing more than a playful image in a naive style—featuring a small man in the background next to the partially visible text Life Sucks—evolved over the years into a personal icon.
The character only gained its final identity later, when PACO’s young children spontaneously started calling the figure “the little monkey” (het aapje). For years, the idea lay dormant while the artist continually simplified and refined the shape, taking it from a drawn character to a recognizable brand mark.
From 2D to the Third Dimension
Eventually, the ambition arose to take the figure beyond paper and canvas and transform it into a physical sculpture. To achieve this, PACO combines traditional, analog, and digital experimental techniques. Although digital art is still sometimes viewed as controversial, for him it represents a uniquely powerful medium.
Using the digital sculpting software ZBrush, PACO built the character digitally step by step. After numerous prototypes and refinements, the sculptures were printed on his own 3D printers. In his studio, a traditional and labor-intensive post-processing phase follows: a seemingly endless cycle of sanding, priming, and sanding again until the perfect finish is achieved.
A Hybrid Visual Language
The limited-edition sculpture as we know it today brings together various elements from PACO’s multifaceted visual universe. The wide smile, exaggerated proportions, and direct design language pay homage to his background in graphic design and illustration. At the same time, the piece seamlessly connects with the worlds of designer toys, pop culture, and urban art. Details such as skateboard accessories, banana peels, and its playful posture give the character a story entirely its own—no words needed.
PACO’s artistic practice is shaped by a remarkable mix of influences. Alongside his training in graphic design, he drew inspiration from a career in the fire department and a passion for motorsports. Artists like Robert Williams, Todd Schorr, Salvador Dalí, Coop, and Clovis Viseur left their mark, but are always translated by PACO into a distinctly personal style.
Ape of Monkeys is not an existing comic book character or mascot, but an independent artwork that slowly took shape in the creator’s imagination over more than three decades. It shows how a casual idea on canvas can grow into a tangible three-dimensional creation where humor, craftsmanship, digital technology, and personal history come together.