Elok loves to paint, and his NFT is thought to be the first such digital art by a primate

Elok loves to paint, and his NFT is thought to be the first such digital art by a primate

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Elok loves to paint, and his NFT is thought to be the first such digital art by a primate

Primates are making art in Oklahoma City – and it’s going digital.

Elok is a 21-year-old orangutan who’s known for his physical works of art, having painted several pieces during his time at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

But his art is now entering a new world – that of NFTs.

“I think he does rather well in sales, to be honest,” said Rebecca Snyder, the zoo's director of conservation. “He can paint using a canvas and paints, and a paintbrush, so he is one of our animals that really enjoys painting to begin with because it checks all the boxes for him. He really likes to manipulate the tools.”

Recently, he made the transition to nonfungible tokens, also known as NFTS – one-of-a-kind digital files that can be sold for a few bucks or a few million in some cases.

“I have a friend who had done digital art as an enrichment project with an orangutan for her master’s thesis,” said Tracey Dolphin, the zoo's primates curator. She said her friend realized the art could be turned into NFTs and used to raise money for conservation.

The transition from physical to digital did require some getting used to.

"When we gave him the modified paintbrush, he wasn't quite sure what to do with it, and so the screen across from him, he could see it, he could see his movements being captured, and something was happening on the screen, but he had to make the connection,” Snyder said.

The zoo is hoping the uniqueness of Elok’s NFT will only make it more appetizing for interested buyers.

"As far as we know, this is the first time an animal has created digital art that's been turned into an NFT,” Dolphin said.

Elok’s NFT will go to auction Friday at noon.

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