For Insiders Only 1973

Desmond Morris, the British zoologist and surrealist painter, made 'For Insiders Only', a painting which depicts abstract biomorphic figures on a table against a stark green background. Morris was part of a vibrant post-war art scene in London, exploring the intersection of the human and the animal. Morris's approach to art was deeply informed by his scientific understanding of animal behavior. He saw parallels between the creative impulses of humans and the instinctual behaviors of animals. These forms may evoke human figures, yet the painting's title 'For Insiders Only', hints at a world that is removed from human understanding, one that is familiar only to the creatures themselves. It's a study in the language of forms, and perhaps the limits of human perception. The painting invites us to imagine an interior world governed by its own peculiar logic. It encourages us to look beyond the surface and to consider the hidden forces that shape our own behavior, and the societies we create.