Making Marks – Ben Tollefson + Jenny

Ben Tollefson and Jenny, chimpanzee
Making Marks (collaboration with Jenny), 2026
Tempera and acrylic on stretched canvas
12 x 12 inches

Market Value: $600.00
https://bentollefson.com/
@bentollefson

Keeping the solid blue and green form in Chimpanzee Jenny’s original canvas intact, Savannah-based artist Ben Tollefson adds a range of recognizable stickers to the painting surface. Except that they are masterful mini-trompe l’oeil paintings that create the illusion of three dimensions.

Among the iconic images in the painting are a portrait of Miss Piggy, the legendary fame-obsessed diva character from the Muppets; the iconic yellow banana by Andy Warhol which appeared on the cover of the debut album by The Velvet Underground & Nico; and a stencil of a burning house, a trademark of the multi-media artist and activist David Wojnarowicz.

Tollefson is known for his paintings with illusionistic imagery and a camp sensibility, inviting viewers to consider constructions of identity and the daily performance of gender. He has exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout the United States, including at Laney Contemporary in Savannah; Brintz-County Gallery in Palm Beach; and Spring Break Art Show in New York. He currently serves as Curator at the SCAD Museum of Art.

Jenny is among the smallest of the Primate Rescue Center’s chimps, but she doesn’t back down when confronted by others. She enjoys playing pranks on humans and likes to play “chase” with caregivers from within her outdoor enclosure.

About the artwork: The first photo shows the completed collaboration being auctioned. The second shows the original primate painting before Tollefson added his contributions. Both images depict the same canvas; only the completed artwork is included.