Dong Hui/Shanghai Daily news

Art fans excited about the chance to view an exhibition featuring tattooed pigs will have to get their kicks elsewhere.

The Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, which was scheduled to host the pork parade, notified the agent for the display that live animals are banned.

The eight tattooed pigs - two of which are emblazoned with Louis Vuitton logos - are part of an exhibition called "Art Farm" that was scheduled for the fountain square at Shanghai Exhibition Center on Monday.

Xin Beijing Gallery, agent for the artist, said it received a notice from the Shanghai Art Fair saying the exhibit couldn't be used because "live animals are outside the categories of display.'

"We weren't aware of the restriction from the organizer until yesterday (Thursday)," said gallery manager Yu Tiantian. "We wouldn't have signed up for the exhibition if we's been told live animals were banned."

Gu Zhihua, who works for the art fair organizing committee, said, "After discussion, we decided temporarily not to consider listing live animals in the display category."

Yu believes the real reason for the rejection was that "the organizer had misgivings about the public reaction the work might arouse."

At last year's Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair an exhibit featuring a road roller that crushed 33 tons of apples created controversy. Some viewers protested that the work was unacceptable when so many people were worrying about their next meal.

Wim Delvoye, the Belgian conceptual artist behind "Art Farm," was informed of the rejection but hasn't responded.