Its a Pigs Life
Welcome back!
Art students in Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in Chongqing, China have been painting live pigs as part of a new project called Unforeseeable: the 2007 Pig Color Symphony for which the painted pigs are left to roam at will in a field.
Photo Ananova
“The painted pigs, when they move around in a limited space, form many unexpected images.” a spokesman told the China News Network.
The three students, of the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, say they chose pigs as they signify wealth and bring harmony and happiness, reports Ananova.
It’s also notable that 2007 is the Year of the Pig for China.
Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, is one of the 5 most prominent art academies in China and the only one in the south-west China. The Chongqing Art Museum collects the most contemporary artworks in the Southwest China and is considered the newest style in Chinese arts institutes.
The museum collects and displays hundreds of artistic works including the master works of Xu Beihong, Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian , and the large-scaled sculpture Rent Collecting Courtyard.
Photo Martin Long
Not to be undone, more of our furry friends hogged the limelight at the sold out ‘flying’ pig show at the Royal Melbourne Show last Thursday. The flying ‘babes’ jumped high in the sky, dove into a pool of water and then scrambled down a runway to heaven, where they pigged out in a pile of pig food.
Photo Negscratch
Some Little Known Facts
It’s physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
Potbellied pigs raised outdoors ‘blow their coats’ 1 to 2 times per year. Their hair falls out and they shed a layer of skin, while engaging in extreme scratching behavior to remove it. The new coat of begins to grow back in within 3 weeks, essentially leaving them hairless.
Photo Foto.newbie
Pigs would rather stay clean if given the opportunity. Pigs can’t cool themselves by panting such as dogs, or sweat enough to cool themselves off as humans do. Pigs roll in something cool, such as mud or water to lower their body temperature. They usually prefer mud, as it also protects them from sunburn and insect bites.
Photo Yatzi
Nose rings and why pigs root. Pigs root in and often eat dirt as it gives them the vitamins and minerals they require. Rooting in dirt to search for food such as small insects, grubs and worms is a natural instinct. Nose rings are designed to stop a pig from rooting. They are extremely cruel and painful, and prevent them from obtaining needed nutrients and from digging mud holes to use when they’re overheated.
Contrary to popular belief, potbellied pigs do NOT make wonderful house pets. They frequently become aggressive when kept inside the home full-time. To be happy, healthy and non-aggressive, potbellied pigs must have access to an outside area at all times, the companionship of at least one other pig, and they must be neutered.
Photo Hanna Lucy Jones
Pigs have a highly developed sense of smell. They can find things underground and have often been used to find truffles, a French delicacy, or to sniff out drugs in service to policemen.
Photo Edmittance
Pigs are highly intelligent animals. Scientists often regard pigs as the most intelligent of livestock.
Pigs are considered by many experts to be more trainable than dogs or cats.
Pigs are a source of nearly 40 drugs and pharmaceuticals such as insulin.
Photo Paul Wheeler
Hair is used for artist’s brushes, insulation, upholstery.
Dried bones are used for buttons and bone china.
Some pigs have straight tails while others have curly ones.
Photo TS Loter
Pigs have four toes on each hoof. They walk on only two of their toes on each foot.
China produces the largest volume of pigs in the world.
Pigs were among the first animals to be domesticated, possibly as far back as 7000 B.C.
Photo Jeremy Clarke
Pigs were introduced to North America in 1539 when Hernando de Soto brought 13 to the Florida mainland.
A female pig is called a gilt until she’s has had a litter, when she’s then called a sow.
The largest pig recorded in history was Big Bill, a 5 foot high, 9 foot long Poland China hog, who weighed 2,552 pounds.
Photo Britt Loves 2 Cheer
‘Bud’, a crossbreed barrow from Texas became the world’s most expensive pig when he was sold for $56,000 on March 5, 1985.
The making the movie ‘Babe’ involved the use of 48 piglets.
Photo Bollops
Photo Lovedirtyboxers
Photo Dan Nead
Photo Khasan
Photo KellyKat07
Photo Phrenetic
Photo Dark Gong
Photo Snarky Dork
Photo Limbic
Sources: Pigs Animal Sanctuary and Alberta Pork Congress
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awwwwwwwwwwww Deborah …….these pigs are gorgeous….I love the little coloured one with the sponges…and the little tiny one at the end…….I have been contemplating doing a series of drawings of pigs….so I am really motivated now …thanks for this terrific post….
The piglet eating the colored sponges or cakes is my favorite too Kim, and second the last one.
I remember your pig painting very well — creating a series would be cool Kim! You’ve got some subjects to choose from here for inspiration too
I’ll put this one in my favourite posts section …for handy reference hehe…..
Thanks Kim
[...] of its kind in the world, the Sriracha Tiger Zoo recently began training pigs to supplement its performing crocodiles and tiger breeding. Wide-eyed tourists come from far and [...]
i love the pictures on the home page,,, they are so cute…. i miss my pigs from fair and some of these pigs resemble my old pigs so i am going to look at this website every night so i can see darla and leo….. thank you for making this website
Awww, sorry to hear you no longer have them. Many say that pigs make wonderful pets, and they’re claimed to be highly intelligent.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww…………… this is soooooooo cute! Especially the one with the coloured sponges! I want a pig now!
how could people eat something that feed mainly on dirt & cool it’s self with mud!!! it’s so unhealthy
im doin my 4h project on pigs and found no info