When Pigs FlyX+Q founder Qu Guangci on the brand’s airborne tribute
X+Q founders Qu Guangci and Xiang Jing are both acclaimed artists, but their work doesn’t just gather dust in galleries — their brand has become known for its playful figures that connect contemporary art to daily emotions.
The duo’s newest work is the Flying Piggy, a chubby but formidable figure that deliberately takes the porcine personality into Superman territory. But why, and what does it mean?
“I believe I can fly — everyone in the world knows the lyric. It’s not just because the melody is terrific, it also brings people dreams,” says Qu. “Flying has always been something humans have longed for. So the Flying Piggy carries our dreams and wishes, and spreads the seed of hope to every corner of the world.”
Qu was pleased to be able to work on the final animal in the Chinese zodiac. “It’s placed last, so it’s a symbol of a perfect end — and a new beginning, a rebirth,” he says. “And because it symbolises health, wealth, happiness and a good career, it becomes a little watcher protecting our homes and loved ones, and bringing good fortune.”
While the pig’s meaning is widely recognised, the symbolism of the ladybug — on which our hero stands — was more individual. “It’s something that rewinds time to our childhood,” says Qu. “The dots are mesmerising — they’re containers of the wishes we made as children, and they bring us back to those innocent years, lying on the grass with our best friends, feeling the cool breeze and dreaming of changing the world.” Who better to help us do that than a portly pink superhero?
