Sunday, May 07, 2000

Pig Parade: 'Porcine Porc-elain

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By Owen Findsen
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        Every day through Oct. 31, The Enquirer is spotlighting a pig from the Big Pig Gig Public Art Project, which begins next Sunday in downtown Cincinnati, Covington and Newport. Today here's a look at: Porcine Porc-elain

The boy atop the Porcine Porc-elain is based on a Qing Dynasty figurine and was built in clay and cast in fiberglass.

        Artists: Marlene Steele, 49, West End, painter and Theodore Gantz, 53, sculptor, Prospect Hill.

        Sponsor: The Taft Museum of Art.

        This pig's pen: TBA.

        You were inspired by: The boy is based on a Qing Dynasty (1662-1722) Chinese figurine in the Taft collection. The pig is painted in floral designs used on Qing Dynasty vases.

        You want people to look at this pig and think: “. . . the wonderful collection of Chinese art at the Taft Museum of Art. The boy is holding a box in the shape of the Taft Museum of Art with various treasures in the collection sticking out of the box.”

        Completing the project took: Four months.

        Swine over matter: The figure of the boy was built in clay and cast in fiberglass. The paint is oil-based lettering paint applied with lettering brushes.

        Your high on the hog was: “The single stroke calligraphy on Chinese ceramics is really amazing and it was fun to have an opportunity to do it,” Ms. Steele says.

        Pig peeve: “When I got down to the bottom side of the pig, it was trying to push the paint up, because paint is formulated to flow down,” Ms. Steele says.

        Best pig tale: The boy's robe is covered with bats, particular bats that are good luck in China.

        My favorite pork dish: “The Comtesse de Toulouse Lautrec's recipe for pork cooked in beer,” Mr. Gantz says. “My mother's recipe for shredded pork and beef,” Ms. Steele says.

        The materials cost: More than the $1,000 fee.

        Do you consider this art or porkography? “A little of both,” Mr. Gantz says.

               

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