Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Primate Prime Art

Bonham's of London is auctioning some pieces by an artistic chimp. One of the paintings is illustrated in the article, and I must say, it appeals to me far more than the average abstract expressionist piece. So do some of these nifty etchings by Koko (the signing gorilla) and friends. Sadly, my jungle-dwelling cousins' work seems to be priced well outside my pretty meagre budget. I wonder if they would consider payment in kind; ripe bananas, for instance, or perhaps even a quick flash?

I loved these last lines of the news item:

Congo quickly learned how to handle a brush and pencils, instead of knocking them over or trying to eat them. He painted within the boundaries of the sheet of paper and never allowed the paint to spill over the edge. He also appeared to know when he had finished a painting: He refused to pick up his brush or pencil over the work.

That first line sounds like a sly remark to performance artists, and I'm choosing to interpret the last line as a clear shot across the bow to George Lucas...