animal artist

   This term could have either of two meanings: an artist who makes art about animals, or an artist who / which is an animal. Monkeys, elephants, and other animals have been "making art" since the end of the 19th century. Approximately 30 elephants currently paint in American zoos, and their works are avidly collected, although rarely if ever by any mainstream art museum. When some of the central questions to consider in the study of art are: "Who is an artist?" "What is serious art?" and "What are the imposed and potential roles of art?" It is important to consider what these animals are capable of doing. Artists and critics who have expressed opinions on the subject of animal artists include Peter Blake, Salvador Dalí, H. W. Janson, Willem de Kooning, Joan Miró, and Meyer Shapiro.