
by Kelsey Warren-Bryant
From teaching elephants to paint with their trunks to encouraging pigs to apply strokes to a canvas holding a paintbrush in the mouth, animal art is a trend that has become popular among wildlife organizations and zoological institutions in recent years. The paintings can be sold to support conservation efforts and raise awareness of the plight of animals in the wild. But do animals in captivity produce art only when prompted by a trainer? Or do some animals create them as a voluntary act, deriving a sense of enjoyment and personal satisfaction the way humans do?
Although there is no way to know for certain whether animals derive any pleasure from creating art, evidence exists that some of them might. A great example can be found with Congo the chimpanzee.
Congo — A Pioneer in Animal Artistry
In the 1950s, zoologist Desmond Morris noticed artistic tendencies in his two-year old chimpanzee, Congo, and began the task of sitting him down to draw. Beginning with pencil and paper and then upgrading to a paintbrush and different colors of paint, Congo created art on a regular basis. He was reportedly very particular about his work. If Morris took the paintbrush away when Congo was painting, Congo whined until he got it back. On the other hand, no amount of encouragement could get Congo to continue working on a painting he had already finished.
Although Congo never created anything recognizable such as a blue sky or a meadow, he was the pioneer in animal artistry, and his works have appeared in several art exhibitions. In 2005, Congo’s artwork appeared at auction up against works by Auguste Renoir and Andy Warhol. Congo’s collection of art sold that day for more than $25,000, and Renoir and Warhol’s work left the auction unsold.
Based on Congo’s behaviors during and after painting, it can be reasonable to assume that he had a certain commitment to his artwork and probably even enjoyed the process of painting. However, not all animals in captivity have displayed evidence of sharing that same enthusiasm.
Elephants Suggest a Different Result
In 2014, a study was conducted on elephants at the Melbourne Zoo. Their zookeeper directed them to create paintings, using the trunk to hold the paintbrush and create brushstrokes on canvas. Zookeepers observed the elephants afterward to see if they had a decrease in stress-related behaviors.
For advocates of animal art, the results would have been disappointing. Elephants at the Melbourne Zoo exhibited the same stress-related behaviors after having painted as before. Although studies on larger sample groups of elephants are necessary to reach firmer conclusions, this preliminary study seems to indicate that elephants at the Melbourne Zoo likely created paintings because they were directed to by their zookeeper and not because of any true artistic inclinations.
Certain species of animals, however, do show a natural tendency toward artistry — even in the wild.
Bowerbirds Create Works of Art in Nature
One could easily assume that no animal species except for humans creates works of art in the wild. However, when we look at the work of bowerbirds, it is difficult to dispute their eye for art.
Bowerbirds are small birds native to Australia and New Guinea. When a male bowerbird is ready to mate, he gets to work building an impressive display called a bower. He arranges sticks to stand upright and compact in a curved manner. Then he decorates his bower with an assortment of objects.
Some species of bowerbirds adorn the bower with items such as shiny rocks, iridescent insect skeletons, and flowers. The satin bowerbird, on the other hand, specifically collects objects that are bright blue. The decorations can include blue feathers, berries, bottle caps, flowers, pen caps, candy wrappers — anything that is the shade of blue the bowerbird is looking for.
If the bower is disturbed, the bowerbird will work meticulously to put everything back in its original place.
Each bower is different, and the males with the most impressive and elaborate bowers will generally attract more attention from females.

So What’s the Conclusion?
It is difficult to say what experience animals might have when creating works of art. It is reasonable to conclude, however, that the experience is likely very subjective and will depend on the animal’s species, circumstances, and personality. Some animals in captivity, such as Congo, complete art voluntarily and are very particular about their artwork. Other captive animals, such as the elephants at Melbourne Zoo, show indifference to the task.
Animals in the wild obviously do not have access to human-made materials such as a paintbrush and canvas. However, some species, such as the bowerbird, appear to be natural artists — even if it is all in the pursuit of attracting a mate.