Friday, September 01, 2000

Pig Parade: Porker's Wild

---

Deck's stacked for this joker

By Owen Findsen
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        This is 125th in a series spotlighting pigs from the Big Pig Gig Public Art Project taking place in Cincinnati, Covington and Newport. Find past pig profiles at cincinnati.com.

        This joker is so wild that he can jump off a deck of cards, turn into a pig, and then turn back into a playing card.

| ZOOM |

        The United States Playing Card Co. created the pig, as well as two decks of cards for the Big Pig Gig. One deck, for kids, is Go Pig, a version of Go Fish with pig pictures. The other, due out late this month, is a poker deck with 52 photos of pigs from the Big Pig Gig. This Porker is pictured on the joker cards. (They will be sold via www.bigpiggig.com and at the Big Pig Gig kiosk on Fountain Square.)

        Artists: The U.S. Playing Card Co. Art Department, Greg Conyer, art director.

        Sponsor: U.S. Playing Card Co.

        This pig's pen: Window, former McAlpin's, Fourth St., downtown.

        You were inspired by: The traditional image of the joker, with the three pointed hat and pointed shoes.

        You want people to look at this pig and think: The rules of the Big Pig Gig don't allow the company name on the pig, but we think that when people see the joke they'll think of U.S. Playing Card.

        Completing the project took: About a month.

        Your high on the hog was: This was a good opportunity for everybody in the design department to work together on one project. It generated a lot of excitement around the company.

        Best pig tale: When we were delivering it in the company van, one of our designers, who is a woman, was sitting in the back keeping the pig from rolling around by holding on to its rear end. As we drove past a construction worker he shouted to her to take her hands off that pig.

        The materials cost: $650.

        Do you consider this art or porkography? We consider it art because he still has his clothes on.

        If your pig starred in a movie, who would you cast to play the role? Robin Williams. He wouldn't mind wearing tights.

       

---

Cop dragged to death
Householder had other alcohol offenses
6-year-old drowns in closed pool
XU to build 273-unit apartments
Corbett pledge for arts school campus: $2.6 million
Councilmen: Jet firm overreacts
Holiday patrols on full alert
Former minister denies swindling his investors
Summer heat late, but it had to come
Blood donors needed
Bush defends health-care record
Cincinnati police union wants city to preserve promotion-test results
Education Notes
Educator wins severance fight
Hamilton police to honor officer who saved woman
He got the area soccer ball rolling
Humane group lobbies county
“I built that stadium”
Mobile home residents can stay
Project could spell relief
Reading to update residents on school delay
Suspect indicted in rape, slaying
Teachers reduce demand for raise
Trustees want lawsuit dismissed
UK president search panel finishes tour
Get to it
In the schools
Kentucky News Briefs
Pig Parade: Porker's Wild
Tristate A.M. Report