SOME monkeys try their hand at a bit of 鈥渁rtwork鈥�, given the chance鈥攁t
least in captivity. American researchers have found that they can model and
decorate clay, and suggest their exploits may highlight the way artistic skills
evolved in humans.
The number of skills that sets us apart from other animals has been steadily
dwindling over the past few years. Tools, the use of plants as medicine, and
possibly even language have all been found in other primates. Now two
primatologists say that art has joined the list.
Gregory Westergaard and Stephen Suomi from the Laboratory of Comparative
Ethology at the National Institutes of Health Animal Center in Maryland have
found that when given the raw materials, captive tufted capuchin monkeys
(Cebus apella) model clay into odd-shaped objects.
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Westergaard and Suomi gave 10 captive capuchins clay spheres, stones, tempera
paint and leaves. As they report in the current issue of the International
Journal of Primatology (vol 18, p 455), the monkeys spent up to 30 minutes
reshaping the clay objects with their hands and decorating them with paint and
leaves. 鈥淭hey take great care,鈥� says Westergaard. 鈥淭hey are very focused when
they are making them.鈥�
On standard educational scales, capuchins closely resemble human children at
about 18 to 24 months, the researchers say. Just as human children of this age
might, the monkeys tended to lose interest and abandon what they had made once
they had finished.
As is also found with children, some of the monkeys appeared more 鈥渁rtistic鈥�
than others, says Westergaard. Some preferred to continue working the clay
despite opportunities for feeding, socialising or playing with other toys.
Westergaard says that captivity may have liberated the animals鈥� potential for
creativity. Since the monkeys don鈥檛 have to spend any time finding food or
evading predators, they search for other activities.
鈥淎rt doesn鈥檛 happen unless you are smart,鈥� says Westergaard. 鈥淚 think such
expressions are the inevitable consequence of an intelligent but restless mind.鈥�
He adds that the monkeys鈥� tendencies may mirror the way that artistic skills
developed in humans.
Gene Sackette at Washington University鈥檚 Primate Center in Seattle agrees
that capuchins are smart. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think we鈥檙e dealing with art,鈥� he says.
He suggests instead that making clay forms may be a precursor to art鈥攖he
generation of something novel. 鈥淎nd that is certainly a higher cognitive
补肠迟颈惫颈迟测.鈥�