The Art Bears formed out of what was left of the disassembly of the progressive rock group Henry Cow in 1978. The band at its fullest was a trio composed of Fred Frith on guitar, bass, violin, and keyboards, Chris Cutler on percussion, electronics, and lyrics, and Dagmar Krause on vocals. Their music was often deeply political in content, and frequently experimental. It was more "song oriented" than the material of Henry Cow. While their material was set as "songs", it was often quite angular and difficult, if equally rewarding, listening.

Their initial releases were:

(title; type; year)

• Hopes and Fears; LP; 1978
• Winter Songs; LP; 1979
• coda to Man and Boy * Live; screened 7"; 1978
• Rats & Monkeys/Collapse; 7"; 1979
• The World as it is Today; LP; 1981

Without Dagmar, Cutler and Frith played (and continue to play) concerts together. Some of it was released on record:

• Live in Prague & Washington LP 1983
• Live EP 7" 1983

In 1993 the three appeared on the CD Domestic Stories by Chris Cutler and Lutz Glandien . While very similar to Art Bears, the addition of Glandien's electronic sensibility made it a distinctly different record.

All of their LPs have been re-released on CD.