In a story as surreal as one of his legendary stage antics, Ozzy Osbourne — the self-proclaimed Prince of Darkness — has swapped bats for brushes and teamed up with an unlikely group of collaborators: chimpanzees. Yes, you read that right. The heavy metal icon recently took part in a charity art project where he painted side-by-side with rescued chimps, all to raise funds for wildlife conservation.
Held at a private sanctuary just outside Los Angeles, the event was part of an initiative by Art for Apes, an organization that raises money to support endangered primates through creative expression. Ozzy, grinning ear to ear in a paint-smeared leather jacket, joined the sanctuary’s resident chimps for a day of chaotic collaboration — resulting in abstract masterpieces that are now being auctioned online.
"I’ve done a lot of mad things," Ozzy said, “but painting with chimps? That’s a new one, even for me. And they’re bloody better artists than I am!”
The collaborative paintings — a swirl of neon splashes, fingerprints, and yes, some very deliberate strokes by our primate friends — have already caught the attention of collectors and fans alike. Proceeds from the sales go toward building new enclosures and funding veterinary care at sanctuaries across the globe.
This bizarre, beautiful partnership shows that creativity knows no species — and that even the Prince of Darkness has a soft spot for the animal kingdom.