Pig farmers 2016

"Pig Farmers" by Babak-Matveev seems to come from a place where folk tradition meets digital whimsy. I imagine the artist piecing together this digital collage, clicking and dragging elements—a little bit of this, a little bit of that—to create something that feels both familiar and totally surreal. I wonder what Babak-Matveev was thinking when they put this together? Were they after kitsch, or a genuine pastoral scene? Either way, the two women in traditional dress, cradling a piglet with a pink ribbon, are set against a backdrop that's pure fantasy—swans, waterfalls, and flowers everywhere. It's a really strange and special thing, and it reminds me that art can be anything we want it to be. From Russian Folk Art to the latest meme, the work of artists is to make something new out of what we already have. Making art is just a way for us all to talk to each other!