15/04/2008 03:01:00
The city of Bath will be adorned with 100 fibreglass sculptures of pigs throughout the summer, as part of a public art project designed to raise awareness of the city's history.
Famous for its stately Georgian buildings and Roman Baths, the life-size, white coloured plastic swine are sure to make a quirky addition to the streets of Bath.
The pigs are designed to raise awareness of the 3000-year old legend of how King Bladud founded Bath, according to the BBC. The tale states the King discovered the healing powers of Bath's spring waters while walking through the area with his swine.
In homage to this legend, the plastic pigs will be placed all around the city and will be painted and decorated with ideas suggested by local communities and businesses.
The Western Daily Press states that artists from across Somerset have been clamouring to offer designs for the synthetic hogs, with choristers at Bath Abbey among the first to decorate their own beast.
This is not the first time farmyard animals have found pride of place in Britain's cities. Edinburgh, Manchester and London have all played host to the CowParade, an international public art exhibit which sees fibreglass cows designed by local residents take over the city for a summer.
At the end of each CowParade, the cows are auctioned off and proceeds are donated to charity.
According to kingbladudspigs.org, net revenues from Bath's parade of fibreglass pigs will be donated to the charity Sustrans, specifically towards the Two Tunnels Project.