Giant inflatable ducks make a splash in Hong Kong as pop-art project returns after 10 years
Two giant inflatable ducks are making headlines in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, in the return of a pop art project that caused a frenzy in the city a decade ago.
ViaKANIS LEUNG Associated Press
Members of the public take pictures of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s art installation “Double Ducks” at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, Friday, June 9, 2023. Two Inflatable Ducks Giants made headlines in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor on Friday, marking the return of a pop art project that sparked frenzy in the city a decade ago. (AP photo/Louise Delmotte)
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HONG KONG — Two giant inflatable ducks made headlines at Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor on Friday, marking the return of a pop art project that caused a frenzy in the city a decade ago.
Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s two 18-meter-tall yellow ducks resemble bath toys that many people play with in their childhoods. Immediately after the launch, dozens of residents and tourists flocked to the promenade near the government headquarters in Admiralty to take pictures of the ducks.
Hofman said he hopes the art exhibition will bring joy to the city and connect people as they make memories together.
He said: “Double duck, double luck. In a world where we are subject to pandemics, wars and political situations, I think this is the right time to bring double luck.”
The inflatable ducks will stay in Hong Kong for about two weeks.
Many Hong Kongers at the promenade recalled the happiness his work brought to the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district in 2013. Some were excited to see a pair of ducks on Friday instead. for only one duck like the previous exhibition.
Among the guests was artist Laurence Lai, who brought a paintbrush to paint ducks with watercolors. Lai said the city was full of negative vibes in recent years during the COVID-19 pandemic and it was time for the city to move on.
“When life returns to normal, ducks can bring some positivity,” said the 50-year-old.
Shenzhen resident Eva Yang and her young daughters were also happy to see the ducks, saying they made their visit to Hong Kong even more memorable.
“They are spectacular,” Yang said.
In 2013, residents and tourists filled the streets near Tsim Sha Tsui pier to catch a glimpse of Hofman’s duck.
That duck’s time in Hong Kong inadvertently became a political issue on social media platform Weibo around the anniversary of Beijing’s 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. Chinese censors blocked searches for the phrase “big yellow duck” after netizens shared an image in which the tanks in the “tank man image” icon were replaced with a row of ducks oversized giant rubber.
Hofman’s Rubber Duck has been on tour around the world since 2007.
