Many Americans would have imagined that reality TV star Donald Trump would become the President of the United States on the day pigs fly.
Well, Trump is the president. And thanks to an upcoming project by Chicago-based architectural firm New World Design Ltd., for one day this summer, pigs will fly.
The firm, led by Jeffrey Roberts, plans to install four gold pig balloons in front of the facade of Trump Tower, for a one-day public installation titled “Flying Pigs On Parade.” Four golden swine balloons will float in mid-air, effectively concealing Trump’s name from public view. The goal is to provide passersby a brief yet glorious reprieve from seeing the omnipresent name of you-know-who, thus continuing to resist his normalization at all costs.
Visually, the installation is inspired by the album art for Pink Floyd’s 1977 “Animals,” which itself is a tribute to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The 1945 allegory and classic middle school read follows a barn full of farm animals to symbolize a totalitarian dictatorship built upon a cult of personality ― a scenario bearing some alarming similarities to our current political state.
Roberts’ vision incorporates elements of Pink Floyd and George Orwell with a few additional digs at our nation’s leader. As he explained in a statement: “The references are many, from flying pigs and Miss Piggy comments to a taste for gold embellished interiors. Ultimately, this is a very rational design and is in direct contrast to the chaotic nature and bizarre antics of our current leadership.”
Roberts announced his idea for the piece in November 2016, shortly after Trump won the presidency. Recently, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters himself approved the idea, a necessity since the musician owns the image rights to his 1977 album cover.
Now Roberts’ final challenge, aside from actually building the four 30-by-15-foot golden pig balloons, is fundraising. The architects are currently collecting donations to help pay for costs including balloon fabrication, technical specialists, barge rental, rigging, prep costs, security and permitting fees. If interested, you can donate here.
Roberts has not yet confirmed when his piece will be installed, but hopes that pigs will fly (for one day only) come late summer. The goal is to then take the pigs on the road, traveling from city to city, blocking other Trump Tower facades one day at a time.
That’ll do, pigs, that’ll do.
