Those ZooChatters old enough to remember the television programme “Zoo Time" with Desmond Morris, may recall some episodes in the 1950s featured the chimpanzee “Congo" who used to paint pictures. The Mayor Gallery in Cork Street London currently has an exhibition of some fifty-five pictures by “Congo"; the exhibition runs until 19th December 2019. See link below for details: CONGO THE CHIMPANZEE | 3 - 19 December 2019
Thank you for this information. It is perhaps sad that Desmond Morris has decided to sell these paintings that came from a memorable period in his career. Congo was not long-lived, he died in 1964 at the age of 10, but in that life-time he produced some 400 paintings and drawings. Watching film of him, and other primates (mainly chimpanzees and orang utans but, oddly - or perhaps significantly - not so many gorillas), shows the animals' engagement, choosing materials and movements that seem to show creative processes. This is quite different, and should not be confused with, the so-called "enrichment painting " activities that have since spawned through zoos, particularly in the U.S.A., where animals are "trained" to use a brush of other implement, loaded with paint by a member of staff, to produced a "painting" or, even less salutary, where the animal is part-painted so its feet or body makes marks on a canvas. There are loads of clips of this in UTube and some, such as using Naked mole rats, for instance, is just not edifying even if the "artworks" are sold to make funds for animal conservation projects.
For further details of "Congo" see "Watching: Encounters with Humans and Other Animals" (Desmond Morris; 2006).* This book includes a moving section about the death of "Congo" in which Desmond Morris writes "I have never known a relationship like it with any other animal, before or since, and because of its unhappy conclusion, never wish to" *This book combines revised versions of two earlier publications "Animal Days" and "The Naked Eye"
I was sure I remember seeing him on ZooTime, but looking at the paintings most were done just before I was born, so either he carried on into the 1960s - or it was a repeat of some kind, but I was not aware that any repeats or footage existed. He was certainly featured in ZooTime annuals which I had as a kid and are often available on eBay. Most of his pictures have been sold, with what is left priced between £3500 and £6000 each. An investment - I'm not sure with 400 out there, but they are not likely to be done again, as the combination of Morris and 'media' are not likely to be repeated.
