Imagine sticking tens of thousands of matchsticks together. Artist David Mach has been busy with his wood glue in creating this incredible gorilla head sculpture which contains an estimated 30,000 matchsticks.

David is renowned for making wild animal sculptures such as grizzly bears and rhinos although he has a little gorilla history – previous artwork including a giant gorilla made out of coat hangers. The latest piece took 3 months to create and is expected to sell for between 20,000 pounds and 35,000 pounds.

Slightly worrying is the prospect of the gorilla going up in flames. The matches are live and previous artwork has been torched at exhibition launches. According to David’s wife, some customers actually ask for the purchases to be torched – “they are highly flammable and when they go up it’s dramatic. It can send flames shooting 6ft into the air but because they’re just matchsticks, it’s all over in a few seconds.”

Certainly spectacular but such extravagance seems a little 2007 – picture a group of investment bankers swigging vintage champagne and cheering as their loose change goes up in flames.

Getting back to reality, if you’re serious about bidding for the sculpture, spare a thought for the real, live, wild gorillas – £30k goes a very long way in Rwanda, Uganda or the DRC – certainly longer than a fine art bonfire!

2009 is the Year of the Gorilla so it’s a really good time to be helping our furry friends.

And if you donate at 10am on Monday 23 February 2009 your donation will be MATCHED by the Reed Foundation up to a maximum of £50,000.

Click here to go to the Big Give donation site.

Matches – we love em!