Doug Anderson

The cage structure is a replica of the grand Mahon Mansion in Strokestown, Ireland, the site of the National Famine Museum and the beginning of the National Famine Way. The mansion's formal Palladian architecture, with its symmetry, columns, and opulent feature, contrasts sharply with the simple, cramped mud or stone homes of the tenants who supported the estate. 

The pig inside the Victorian-style cage represents this stark divide. To many, pigs symbolize consumption and wealth; but to the Irish tenant, the pig was their most valuable possession and their primary means of paying rent. Pigs often lived inside with their families for protection and to provide heat, and a simple pig sty could lead to a rent increase. The work highlights this economic dynamic, where the pig becomes a symbol of the tenant's sacrifice and the landlord's power.