BEASTLY TALES

Works of painter Nonja are a rage in Viennese art circles today. This is despite the fact that her boyfriend, Vladimir, eats her paintings if he is not locked away in his cage. By the way, Nonja is an orangutan in the Schoenbrunn zoo. She inherited her paints from Johnny the chimpanzee. Let's hold our horses for a moment. When did art venture out of the domain of humans into the paws of animals? For all we know, dinosaurs sketched in the sand, but animal art has certainly come of age now that Leonardo DiCaprio has bought the work of a Thai elephant for $2,ooo. In fact, there are several academies in Thailand that teach elephants to paint. The big name amongst these talented trunks is Ramona, whose works sell for an easy $200. The San Franciscan gorillas, Koko and Michael, use painting as an emotional outlet. They splash red paint when asked in sign language to express anger. Michael's even created a black and white mosaic to portray Apple his pet dog. Usually, however, paintings by animals are abstract expressionist.

So, is there nothing to distinguish Jackson Pollock from mere brutes anymore? The Greeks believed the ability to reason held humans above other species, but chimpanzees solve puzzles with great ease these days. The gift of language is not unique to humans either. Michael may not have the biological equipment to talk but he can certainly communicate through sings. Even creativity is not an exclusive homo sapien prerogative. We knew that when porpoises started improvising with cartwheels and backflips to impress observers. Asian elephants play harmonicas, xylophones and drums. Their music, though considered soothing, does not compare to that of the blue-throated hummingbird. This creature practises its music and develops complex songs. We may have to swallow our arrogance. Nothing differentiates us from animals and we don't even have their impeccable taste and sophistication. Why else would dairy cows in Georgia produce 1,000 pounds more milk while listening to classical music than to rock? Is it time to accept animal connoisseurs too? All I know is that my cocker spaniel is indifferent to Neil Diamond but lies down under my piano and sighs with satisfaction every time I play Mozart.