Elephant Paints Self Portrait

YouTube Link

Increddible video that shows an elephant painting art.

This pretty much proves to me that "most" animals are inteligent and have emotions just like us.

Very nice how it paints an elephant holding a flower.

What is next, writing a book

www.youtube.com...



[edit: link after 3 tries thanks for the help ]


[edit on 31-3-2008 by jaamaan]

[edit on 31-3-2008 by jaamaan]

[edit on 31-3-2008 by jaamaan]

reply to post by jaamaan

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Even before I knew about this, I was talking with someone yesterday about how elephants are pretty much the coolest animals ever. Flagged and starred.

We must never underestimate or take for granted the creatures we share this planet with. Man has done so for too long and this video is more proof of just how wrong that thinking has been.

Holy smokes that blew me away! Intraspecies communication is probably great practice for communicating with otherworldly creatures. Amazing world that we live in. I only hope more people can realize this and live more positively.

Fixed.

(it's everything after the equals mark, mate)

HTH.

YouTube Link

Very interesting, I am glad to have opened this thread. I halfway expected to see a mess of paint that somewhat resembled an elephant when you tilt your head sideways... but this was amazing..

I knew elephants are a very intelligent animal and it seems we have only realized this in the past 20 years or so. Just a few years ago I remember reading about their incredible communication skills with low frequencies and stomping of feet.

I was going to post this but was waiting for some research facts on how these elephants were trained to paint. If they were beaten into submission that I would be propagating torture in awe of the miracle of the abilities of animals. As inspiring as this video is (a friend emailed it to me) it is also not beyond people to suffer an animal to entertain themselves or create a profit from the sale of such a painting. If this was and is in fact an uninhibited example of animal art- I for one would rid my home of many things and redecorate it with only animal art.

Now that this has been posted- I am directing my OCD skills solely to my investigation and will duly report my findings to this thread.

Here is a video link of me and my dog who has learned to say "I love you, forever" b. Boris was not beaten or manipulated in any way- after two years of my love it just happened:

www.youtube.com...

I post this so you will know my motive, my love for animals and that I am not a skeptic trying to blow off the significance of this thread via a bitter jaded view of life.

Here is another link carried by the Mossulian times:

www.missoulian.com...

The story contains a link to a site where the art can be purchased.




[edit on 31-3-2008 by dk3000]

How amazing. Humans truly do under estimate the intelligence of other animals. That elephant was very deliberate and precise with where he painted. There was even a couple times when the elephant seemed to stop for just a second and think where he should put the paint next. It was a very accuarate painting of an elephant in midstride. Even the posisiton of the legs was accurate.

That sad thing is that elephant can draw a whole lot better than I can


Flag and star.

Wow... That was much more amazing than I thought it would be. Thank you jaamaan for this thread. And dk3000, I am anxious to see what you find out. If this is an example of an animal demonstrating free expression without coercion or brutality, then this is great.

That is incredible !!!!

elephants are very smart, but i didnt think that smart.

This is quite fascinating, however I would be more impressed if I thought that the elephant had painted that image from its own imagination.

At this point it looks to me as if these paintings have been "taught" by there trainers.

Elephants have, as is evident, a very useful prehensile and manipulative appendage and can be trained to perform "tasks", that is what I think is happening here.

I would love to see if they could create a painting without this direction as it would give an interessting window into the elephants mind.

Here is a video of what I consider to be some training taking place.

YouTube Link

That video just made my day.
What an incredible demonstration.
Even if taught, I am still impressed.

On a side note, if this was not a learned thing, then I hope we can see more studies in the future regarding expression.

From the looks of it i think the elephant was taugh how to paint this one.
Still very good to see how good the elephant remembers what to do.

It would be great to see when they teach an elephant all the basic art skills and let it paint whatever it feels like or whenever.

The art class doesnt look to stressfull or like a commercial sweatshop.
I think you can see more elephant students in the background of the OP video.

[edit: some spelling]

[edit on 31-3-2008 by jaamaan]

I be interested to see what you will come up with.
The art class of the elephants looks quite relaxed so i dont think they learn them by beatings.

I found quite a bit of disturbing information which paints a very different view of what we find fascinating. I am sure that if some jerk were to repareted strike my forehead with a spiked hammer I would likely paint anything my abused asked me to:

www.petatv.com...

I could not finish watching this video. This is but one elephant training camp.

Here is a young tourist's to Thailand's experience in an elephant camp:

www.lonelyplanet.com...

Yet another:

www.femail.com.au...

In Thailand and India Elephants have been a revered and sacred creature(s). If this were true- neither country would allow this to happen. Again- window dressing attempts to protect and help these magnificent creatures would be unnecessary or minute.

As long as people are fascinated with the results of cruel abuse being marketed as a miracle of nature and profitable revenues can be achieved- this will never stop- it will only become more covert and hidden in execution.

My heart is broken- I would have been devastated if I bought into it hook line and sinker.

Here is some intense history and sources from India with links to direct abuse regarding elephant art. I could only go so far. My initial instinct was correct and I require no more proof or evidence.

reply to post by dk3000

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Indeed very disturbing information you posted here.
The connection to elephant art is briefly noted.
I hope that "most" elephants are treated better than the examples you showed.


One can only wish that there would be some "nice" art classes for elephants.

Great!

Next thing you know, it'll be planet of the elephants!




*Envisages a future filled with cyborg-elephants intent on eradicating all other species from the planet*

Not all elephants seem to get bad treatment.

when I first saw this video I thought it was fake but I've yet to hear any reports about this being a fake, anyone have any information?

it is very real - but the skeptic in me asks is it really a SELF portrait ?

or just [ i mean no slur by using ` just ] an elephant painting an elephant ?

i canot see any ` distiguishing features ` that make it a self portrait

its like looking at pictures of " mummy and daddy " painted by kindergarten puplis , using the pictures thier children painted - could you pick the right parets out of a line up ????