Giant Rubber Ducks!

Internationally known Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman creates larger-than-life (make that much larger) sculptures. Bears, monkeys, frogs, rabbits. But it's the ducks that have won my heart. As in rubber duck. As in rubber ducky, floating amid the bubbles in your bathtub. But this time, the bathtub is a harbor, and the duck is appropriately scaled to a whopping 46 x 49 x 51 feet high!

Florentijn thinks big. He likes to attract attention, make an impression, and create a sensation! As for the rubber duck, it "doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation." It's easily identifiable; just the sight of one gives you the warm fuzzies as you think back to bathtub times of your childhood, or to those of your own kids.





Hofman says this about his work, "My sculptures cause an uproar, astonishment, and put a smile on your face. They give people a break from their daily routines. Passers-by stop in front of them, get off their bicycles and enter into conversations with other spectators. People are making contact with each other again. That is the effect of my sculptures on the public domain."




These inflatable rubber ducks, which "swim" courtesy of round pontoons, have been around since 2007. They've visited cities all over the globe, including Hong Kong, Auckland and Osaka.

 Enjoy this YouTube video, showcasing the opening of the Sydney Festival in Australia.

Check out Florentijn Hofman's website.

Permission given by Florentijn Hofman.