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Modern Art Fit For Picasso By Congo The Chimp
A collection of brilliantly colourful abstract works by a chimpanzee named Congo whose work was also believed to be owned by Picasso & Miró will be sold in a sale of Modern & Contemporary at Bonhams in New Bond Street on Monday 20 June 2005. Produced with tempera on paper, the works were painted by Congo (b.1954) at the age of just 3 years old.
In 1957, celebrated ethologist and painter Desmond Morris – author of the best-selling The Naked Ape - curated an exhibition of chimpanzee art at the ICA in London. Included in the show were a number of works by Congo, a frequent and popular guest on Morris’ television program Zootime.
 Paintings by apes may be seen as humorous or as a derisive commentary on modern art, however, Morris’s studies were a serious attempt to understand chimpanzees’ ability to create order and symmetry as well as to explore, at a more primeval level, the impetus behind our own desires for artistic creativity.
The collection of three works, estimated to fetch £600-800, will be sold amongst works by masters such as Andy Warhol and Renoir.
Richard Prince, quoted in the exhibition catalogue Richard Prince, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, 1992, pp 144-145
The episode opens with William Night lecturing a small audience of art flies and gallery toughs on the difference between a person of genius and one whose qualities are more usually associated with a charlatan.
Standing in the center of Landing's exhibit, Night repeatedly refers to the painting in question as dredge, mimicry, "an eyesore infesting itself on the operative memory." Night's audience's reactions are predictable. Landing appears out of the back room ... and politely asks Night why he bothers to come to his exhibits so often if he does not like the paintings. Night replies, "Duty." The reply is quite secure. The point of view delivered with the assurance that no argument will be directed his way. Landing shrugs and rolls his eyes backwards in a motion which suggests that he has heard this singular sense of propriety before.
'Next, Landing asks Night if he would mind looking at, and "possibly draw forth an image" of, a painting by a younger artist, an assistant who has not yet had the opportunity to display his work publicly. Landing says, "It's obvious you cannot see my paintings, but perhaps this young man's work will benefit in time from your eyeful stare."
'Night says it is "highly irregular," but the gallery audience begs his approval in harmony. On cue from Landing the gallery director brings out the canvas. Night takes the painting in both hands and holds it up to his face. "This is quite a different matter," he says, "The brush is obviously in the hands of a young master." He then asks Landing if it would be possible for him to be introduced to the 'new' success. Landing at first hesitates, then cues the gallery director a second time.
'The director comes out of the back room with the young master on her arm. The same small gallery audience suddenly bursts into cheers and hysterical laughter as the young protege turns out to be a chimpanzee in bib-overalls.'
For further information or images please contact Michelle Gonsalves on 020 7468 8340 or press@bonhams.com
Press website – www.bonhams.com/press
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America and in August 2003, Goodmans, a leading Australian fine art and antiques auctioneer with salerooms in Sydney, joined the Bonhams Group of Companies. Today, Bonhams is the third largest and fastest growing auction house in the world. It offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further 10 throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Boston in the USA; and Switzerland, France, Monaco, and Australia. In addition Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives offering sales advice and valuation services in 14 countries. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of more than 40 Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com.
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