In for a penny: This exhibition showcases 99 artists’ interpretation of the humble piggy bank

When reflecting on their highlights of 2024, there was a unanimous decision amongst the team at Yowie that their Egg Cup Show (which saw 50 artists to interpret the egg cup) was pretty much the event at the top of all of their lists. Their debut object show, the team have noticed many people returning to the space months down the line, whispering to other guests “this is where the egg cup show was!” or “I’m so sad you missed the egg cup show they had last summer.” So they were sure they had to make a return in 2025, with another “functional but also often fussy object” shares founder Shannon Maldonado.

The piggy bank is a novel and nostalgic object that we tend to lose touch with after our childhood, but it certainly surfaced some interesting takes on its traditional forms in Yowie’s latest exhibition. On display at their Piggy Bank Show were 99 artists and makers’ works responding to the theme, including: blocks of wood, crushed beer cans, croc pots and a miniature couch. In sum, very few of these vessels had a straight forward take. Like the egg. cup, “most people don't use these in their everyday lives”, shares Shannon. She continues: “The Piggy Bank Show felt like a natural progression with the added timeliness of talk of saving and the appeal of something that instinctively has a sense of humour.”

Shannon initially founded Yowie back in 2016 after accumulating objects she fell in love with whilst travelling for her former work as a fashion designer. “The first piece I bought that sparked the idea was a pencil cup by the Danish brand Studio Arhoj – I quickly understood how the simplest pieces could bring joy through a unique glaze or form,” she says. The shop space and now sometimes exhibition space at their location in Philly has been an opportunity for her to carry out her dream of holding small art shows and taking on the role of curator amongst artist works and her own collection.

As a space that sits at the centre of the local art scene, the show brought together works by creatives the team invited to participate, those that had heard about it through the grapevine, friends that were keen to explore the wacky and wonderful world of piggy banks. But with Yowie also wanting to widen their remit, the team reached out to creatives from New York, LA and Japan to find artists further afield from Philadelphia, those working with all kinds of mediums and materials. “We primarily sell ceramics and some glassware so it was exciting to see works in wood, fiber, and even chainmail in the show,” shares Shannon.

As well as the show quite literally doubling in size this year, the team created a catalogue of its contents which is still up for grabs on their online shop. Less of a mad rush than orchestrating the eggcup show, this time round all 99 objects were able to be documented, shares Shannon, which took form as a colourful zine that celebrates the range of artistic interpretations of the object in question in print. As for next year’s object, the team is still brewing some of their best ideas, shares Shannon; you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled.