If an elephant makes it, is it art?



Its hard to know what exactly is happening here. Clearly the elephants are painting. Are they receiving instructions from their keepers in the form of taps or whispers? Do they have a code that is used to suggest 'line' or 'dab'? Or are they actually painting something that they were taught?

Watching the elephants play, bathe, eat, and interact with people at The Maesa Elephant Camp in Chiang Mai, Thailand, makes one thing remarkable clear; they are loving, gentle, and sharp as tacks. Watching them paint though, is truly extraordinary.

Here are some photos of the elephants painting, and some elephant paintings: