#ARTNIMALS for a Wild Expressions: A Menagerie of Animal Paintings
Following Pigcasso the sow and Congo the chim- panzee, let’s turn our sight towards the artistic talent of other animals.
Dali, Warhol, Renoir, Gauguin … Big names painters who easily could be eclipsed by certain talented animals.
Lately, the spotlights are on Pigasso. The 6-year-old sow, rescued from the slaughterhouse, resides happily in an animal shelter where its creative inspiration can flow.
The method of painting is very unique: The artist uses large reinforcements of brushstrokes that it| holds in its mouth creating adorned colors and traits on the canvas, thus creating more or less precise artwork.
One of its paintings named “Sauvage is Free”, was sold last December for 23.500 euros.All proceeds went towards the maintenance of the shelter.
This success is reminiscent of a Congo chimpanzee artist in his 6os. His body of work? Not less than 400 drawings and paintings, and the last one being sold for more than 10.000 euros. Congo even had its own exhibition in 2019 at the Mayor Gallery of London.
At the end of the year 2000, a mustang-quarter horse mix named Cholla Cactus saw its career blooming. The abstract paintings recognized by collectors and art enthusiasts were exhibited in prestigious art galleries particularly in Italy. Its works are recognized to have refined colors and unique styles. The passing of Cholla Cactus in 2013 left a huge void throughout the animal art world.
Joining along, our canine friends can not be counted out. From 1999 to 2014, Cheddar de Tillamook (Tillie known to friends) changed the chronicle. The little Jack Russel, is known as the artist dog, for creating works sometimes very colorful and sometimes monochromatic, all of which are extremely famous around the globe.
Lastly, how can we not think of Nong Thanwa, this little 9 years old elephant who paints with its trunk the breathtaking landscapes of Thailand, its country. Thanks to its canvas sold in auction, multiple thousands of euros were collected in order to build new shelters for elephants.
