The Neon Instinct. An art class from Gentoo penguins

We like to think of abstraction as a purely human concept. But look at Gentoo penguins.

During breeding season, the males scan a sea of dull grey stones, desperate for the one perfect pebble to offer a mate. In Edinburgh, the local ZOO each year asks hospitalised kids paint these pebbles in neon, vibrant hues. And the birds go wild for them. They bypass the natural camouflage and aggressively choose the brightest, most disruptive colour to build their nests.

I love this story on so many levels.

It made me think: that’s exactly what colour does. It’s not just decoration. It cuts through the background hum of the ordinary and demands selection. In a world saturated with grey noise, a sudden flash of deliberate, intense colour isn't just an aesthetic choice. It’s how we mark out what matters, in art too.

Image: ASZZ