WEEK 3 : Pigcasso

Pigcasso and Joanne Lefson represent the first human – non-human art collaboration of it’s kind. 

Pigcasso will run in the third week from December 17. The exhibition will also feature a film showcasing Pigcasso’s extraordinary painting process. 

Pigcasso was rescued just before slaughter in 2016 by Joanne Lefson and taken to Farm Sanctuary SAin Franschhoek, South Africa. When Joanne noticed that Pigcasso ate or destroyed everything except some old paint brushes that were laying in her stall, she decided to nurture the pig’s potential talent. It didn’t take long before Pigcasso began to paint – and over time, the painting process developed into an extraordinary collaboration between human and pig.

Lefson selects the colours while Pigcasso takes the brush into her mouth and creates her magic across the canvas. Lefson watches from afar, able to stop Pigcasso if she observes an interesting form developing that is relatable to the human eye. Every original is signed by Pigcasso’s nose-tip, countersigned by Lefson and includes a Certificate of Authenticity. Proceeds from the sale of every artwork benefit the registered nonprofit Farm Sanctuary SA that Lefson established in 2016. 

Their unrivalled story has been prominently featured on all leading media networks including BBC, CNN,SKY News, GMA, ABC, Der Spiegel and ZDF. Their artworks are also collected by an impressive global audience which include the Hollywood elite and leading environmentalists alike. Pigcasso has also collaborated with leading brands which include SWATCH and has hosted a number of prominent exhibitions in Europe and China. In 2022, she entered the Guinness World Records for her artwork ‘WILD AND FREE’ which sold for a record-breaking $25000. The unprecedented coverage not only highlights the intelligence of pigs, but gains widespread awareness for the plight of farm animals which is the leading mission of Farm Sanctuary SA, the registered NPO in South Africa where Pigcasso resides.