Munich, Germany
The sculptor was asked to create a symbol for the Tollwood Festival in Germany, which is known for its environmentally aware philosophy and animal protection campaigns. In 2014, the focus of the festival was farm animals, so the artist wanted to call attention to animal rights with a giant pig stuck in a narrow steel cage. The annual four-week culture, art and gastronomy festival is concerned with animal protection, environmental awareness, and it supports several NGOs. The festival took place in the heart of Munich, on Theresienwiese, the regular site of the famous Oktoberfest. On the topic of better husbandry for farm animals, Szőke created a 10-meter-long pig, the trademark of the festival.
The structure of the sculpture is made of steel, and the several-meter-long raw oak wood slats are applied onto this. I’ve chosen piglet pink for the wood and all elements are eco-friendly. The rustic nature of the wood and the rusty cage symbolizing the enclosure of the pig bring the creature closer to the spectator, who might consume its meat day by day. I believe all farm animals deserve better living conditions. I’m glad to support the festival with my art, where human responsibility and environmental awareness receive such an important role.
Apart from the pig, the sculptor has presented his Christmas trees, one of the favorites at the Budapest design markets before the holiday season, which are made exclusively of reused materials. This is not the first time that the artist calls attention to environmental issues. In 2011, he dedicated a sculpture to the biggest Danubian fish species in danger of extinction, the sturgeon.
making of the sad pig
