Detail from a painting by Noppakhao, an elephant from Thailand
This weekend, SAW Gallery unveiled the highly-anticipated new exhibit Animal House: Works of Art Made By Animals – a thought-provoking multimedia show that will have you rethinking what you believe about art and the natural world. On display are paintings and mixed-media works created by a variety of animals including elephants, chimpanzees, dogs and cats. Some works were created independently by the animals, others with the collaboration of a human artist. But the message contained within Animal House transcends the physical artwork and plunges the viewer into an intricate web of questions about animals, humans, and the ways in which they coexist.
Some animals, like elephants and chimpanzees, can put a brush to a canvas with purpose, and appear to apply complex thought to the process. Primates who can use sign language even sometimes explain what’s represented in their work. There’s no doubt that some animals have the capability to reinterpret the world around them, and that they are gifted with a level of creative thought that exceeds humans’ typical perceptions of their abilities.
But even animals who are not trained to use human-provided art materials engage in acts of artistic creation every day. Many creatures are able to craft complex patterns and structures (honeycombs, nests, etc.) that humans cannot exactly replicate. In addition to showcasing animals’ artwork, Animal House also includes works by three human artists who have attempted to re-create the nests of insects and birds.
The works on display in Animal House and the accompanying audio-visual and literary materials raise important questions about animal creativity and the role humans play in facilitating and directing it. The exhibit also touches on issues of animal exploitation: while animal artworks can be sold to raise money for conservation and animal welfare, we must carefully tread the line between appreciating the work created by animals and appropriating it thoughtlessly.
Animal House runs at SAW Gallery until September 26th.
I had the chance to check this out on the weekend - awesome exhibit.