This piece is named after Harry Harlow, a psychologist who is most well known for his bonding/attachment experiment involving the separation of baby monkeys from their mothers.

The baby monkeys were placed in cages with two fake monkeys made from wire. One wire monkey had food but it’s wire frame was left uncovered, the second had no food but was wrapped in soft tactile fabrics that made it more monkey like and comfortable to be around. The baby monkeys spent most of their time clinging to the ‘comfort monkey’ and only went to the food monkey to eat. I might add that I don’t think that this experiment would happen today as it is incredibly cruel.

It was this experiment that sprang to mind when I first heard about lockdown. The associations with food, enforced separation from loved ones and the seeking of comfort, were almost palpable. The well being of countless people will no doubt be affected negatively from this experience, just as I am sure that the well being of those little monkeys was all those years ago. It seems that the simplest needs are the most profound.