Piggtherapy chronicle

Piggtherapy is a location active project which started in 2005 - an ‘in situ’. The form of a  piggy bank shape has become a symbol through hundrenths of years serve as a pedagogical device to teach the rudiments of thrift and savings to children. The choice of use of the transparent shape in reflect of memory loss, in simulation of existence and non-existence.

    The oldest find of money boxes are dated from 2nd century BC in Greek Colony Priene in Asia Minor and features the shape of a little Greek temple. My Greek origin has driven me to start this expedition in the year 2010 form the todays capital of Greece, Athens in reference to the World’s Economy Argumentations.  The name of Economic Express or Mobility Express’ came after the use of the original  economy term ‘Economic Mobility’. ‘A split’ and reformation of  the term with  Express as in reference of time value in the contemporary society as well as in metaphor of a ‘voyage’ and inspiration of the ‘Oriental Express’ train.

    Going back in time and to the extend of the project, one of the longest period the action took place, was in Amsterdam in the ‘Oude Kerk’ between January and April 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Piggtherapy in the Oude Kerk of Amsterdam. Janury - April 2007 ( copyright Lalou)

 

«More than three centuries had passed before the 'Oude Kerk" the earliest parish church Amsterdam attained its present form. The church has almost as many chapels as there have been building phases.

The 'Oude Kerk' suffered from the iconoclastic fury in 1566 which left a trail of destruction throughout the Netherlands. The church was violently looted and the images were destroyed. From Amsterdam's earliest days when the first 'anonymous' Amsterdam citizen was buried there, around 1300, until 1865 over 10,000 people found their final resting place inside the Dutch capital's oldest stone building.» Stichting the Oude Kerk te Amsterdam

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

    

Figure  2-3. close up- piggs in the wooden scaled model in the interior or Oude Kerk (copyright Lalou)

    Piggtherapy: Pigg-therapy in allignment to status-kvo

 

Pigg =  In Middle English, "pygg" referred to a type of clay used for making various household objects such as jars. People often saved money in kitchen pots and jars made of pygg, called "pygg jars". By the 18th century, the spelling of "pygg" had changed and the term "pygg jar" had evolved to "pig bank”.

 

Figure 4. In 'Pavillion' Residency at Gerrit Rietveld                                                                                                                                        Academie.February 2006 (copyright Lalou)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5. In 'Pavillion' Residency exhibition with

 'Digital Man' Illustration,  and site specific installation

 'Samplin Reflections' . Ferbuary 2006.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Since September 2009 five ‘Piggs’, has been residing in Gallery-Studio «Greece is for Lovers’. Runned by Chirstina Kotsilelou, and her design group. A designed mathematical formula is given in order to calculate the price of each small piggy bank according to the grams of the glass piggy in relevance to the pork’s price per gram in the location the sale is completed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The expedition locations are in relation to history and their economic virtues. The piggfarm is rising its number now days. In less than a month dated there is a re-design of the piggs in three different compositions. A. with various currency coins trapped in. B. with specific jewellery. C. with gold.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 7 and 8. Pigg with jewellery  and with currency coins, April 2010 .(copyright Lalou)

 

   On April 21st 2010,  documentation of the value of gold in each piggy bank  discussed and documented  in ‘de Balie’ Amsterdam with Yun Chun Chen gold suspender.

   Mission Track of the Expedition

In congnition of Athenian State, in prologue the arrival of the piggs . There shall be one specific ‘pigg’ left in Syria (B), and arrive with a large number of piggs (C) to Iceland. Istanbul as the middle of 'the voyage’ and the critical part of the expedition. Amsterdam 'The Epilogue'

  The installations and voyage documentation will evolve in a film in memorial of Piggtherapy Expedition - 'Economic Express or Mobility Express’

The ‘Voyage’ is starting in May 2010.

 

Maria Lalou-April 2010

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