Non-human animals- Can they make Art?

Fun thread from the old ATU site:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:sC9HGroD8CcJ:acrosstheuniverse.forumotion.com/t3511-non-human-animals-can-they-make-art+site:acrosstheuniverse.forumotion.com+acrosstheuniverse+%2B+picasso&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk&source=www.google.co.uk

^

Hosni originated this thread but I don't know how to copy his seminal embedded vid. We'll just have replicate what remains as best we can below, in the event of link expiry:

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Eddie wrote:

Chimp's paintings go on sale

Steven Morris

The Guardian, Thursday 12 May 2005 11.43 BST

Animal energy ... one of Congo the chimpanzee's paintings. Photograph: Bonhams/PA

He was known as the Cézanne of the simian world. Picasso was the proud owner of a painting by Congo the chimpanzee while Miro swapped two sketches for one of the ape's creations.
Now, for the first time, three Congos have come on to the open market and will be auctioned alongside works by Renoir, Andy Warhol and the Chapman Brothers at Bonhams in London this month.

The pictures, created with tempera on paper, are from the artist's most productive period in the late 1950s. They are estimated to be worth between £600 and £800 for the three, but such has been the interest already that they may well fetch much more.

Congo became a household name when he appeared alongside Desmond Morris in the television series Zoo Time. At the same time Dr Morris began a series of experiments to try to find out about the artistic sensibilities of chimpanzees.

At first Congo splashed the paint on, as any chimp would. But Dr Morris yesterday told the Guardian how over two years in the late 1950s Congo suddenly changed the way he held the brush and became much more intense about his paintings.

Dr Morris said: "I was amazed. He focused on what he was doing. Every line he made logically followed the last one."

Congo confined his work to the sheet of paper or canvas in front of him, rarely letting the paint dribble on to the table or floor.

The chimp also seemed to know when a picture was finished, putting down his brush. If the picture was taken away and brought back later he would refuse to work on it. But if a fresh canvas was presented he would set to work again.

In 1957 some of his best work was showcased at an exhibition at the ICA in London entitled, rather unambiguously, Paintings by Chimpanzees. It received mixed reviews, but the public was enthusiastic and snapped the pictures up. Forgeries were also made - though Dr Morris insists he can spot the real thing.

An Elephant Artist.


Elephant Art.


Elephant Art.


Elephant Art.

John McLaughlin wrote:

Limited palette.

Pinhedz wrote:

"Can they make art?"

Yeah--they're doing it.

John McLaughlin wrote:

So does it prove they can think abstractly like humans? I tend to think it's the beginning of proof, and look forward to more inter-species communication as we evolve.

[Pinz posted at this juncture what I think was a vid of a dancing Cockatoo named Snowball- but I could well be mistaken. In any event, the vid elicited a few responses, this amongst them:]

John McLaughlin wrote:

The linked videos raise the interesting claim that there's a link between ability to vocalize and ability to dance. Dunno I see it that way - it's still too human-species-centered, if you ask me.