Mr Monkey sees Chinese New Year 2012 - Wishing Tree at the CAC, 10th January
Mr Monkey took his humans into Manchester to visit the Chinese Arts Centre, whose New Year Celebrations conveniently started on Mr Rik's birthday.
A traditional way of celebrating the Chinese New Year is to write a wish onto a slip of paper, tie it to an orange, and throw it up into a tree. Wishes that stay in the tree should come true.
As they don't have a tree, the CAC commissioned artists Olivia Glasser and Lu Di to build a replica of the Lan Tsuen wishing tree in the main gallery.
Because the CAC would look untidy with a floor covered in failed wishes and dented oranges, they've suggested that everyone make lanterns and tie them, with a wish, to the tree.
Mr Monkey looked at the tree and admired the lanterns, many of which had obviously been made by people who knew what they were doing.
Then Mr Monkey noticed that there was a table with a stack of card blanks suitable for making simple lanterns, and boxes of crayons and pens to make the lanterns colourful. Obviously, he had to make a lantern himself.
After carefully reading the instructions on a wall poster, Mr Monkey decorated the empty side of his unassembled lantern.
He was trying to show a monkey in a forest but he had a little problem with the green crayon.
He let Mr Rik do the easy bits - some folding, cutting and unfolding and then a bit of rolling up and sellotaping.
Mr Monkey finished his lantern by squashing it from the top to push the sides out and by letting Mr Rik fix handles at the top and bottom.
When Mr Monkey and Miss Carol had both made a lantern, Mr Monkey pointed out an attractive bit of branch for them to be tied to, and paused for a moment to admire his work. In retrospect, he decided it would have been a good idea to have decided what his lantern was going to look like before putting crayon to card.
Then he set off into the dusk to catch a train home. Mr Monkey decided that it would be a really good idea to come back later, to see what sort of lanterns the rest of Manchester adds to the wishing tree.
Chinese New Year 2012 - Wishing Tree runs until January 28th.
A traditional way of celebrating the Chinese New Year is to write a wish onto a slip of paper, tie it to an orange, and throw it up into a tree. Wishes that stay in the tree should come true.
Then Mr Monkey noticed that there was a table with a stack of card blanks suitable for making simple lanterns, and boxes of crayons and pens to make the lanterns colourful. Obviously, he had to make a lantern himself.
When Mr Monkey and Miss Carol had both made a lantern, Mr Monkey pointed out an attractive bit of branch for them to be tied to, and paused for a moment to admire his work. In retrospect, he decided it would have been a good idea to have decided what his lantern was going to look like before putting crayon to card.