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Is There a History for the “Art” Made by Animals? Considering Non-human Agencies in Art History
Arthur Valle
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DOI:10.17265/2159-550X/2026.06.003
Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Recent and accumulating evidence indicates that forms of culture permeate the lives of a wide variety of animal species and may have far-reaching implications for art history. Based on this evidence, I propose in this paper that aspects of the material culture of certain animals should be considered “art” within the discipline’s debates. To this end, I draw on a survey of literature related to the topic, as well as on the analysis of examples of artifacts produced by animals, sometimes in partnership with humans. Among other aims, I seek to explore the resonances of human agency in non-human species as a means of countering Homo sapiens narcissism and promoting creative entanglements. By discussing parallels across the usual taxonomic divides, the paper ultimately aims to expand art history’s imagination and field of study.
animals, art, agency, art historiography, posthumanism
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