HKFP Lens: Hong Kong MTR pays tribute to gigantic rubber ducks
Hong Kong Free Press
A giant rubber duck art installation is set to return to Hong Kong’s waters, this time with an identical accomplice.
Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman’s two inflatable sculptures will float up to Victoria Harbour on June 10.
Hong Kong last played host to the 16.5 metre-high bathtub favourite in 2013.
Millions peeked at the plump pontoon as it proceeded past the city’s skyline.
The oversized aquatic wonder has toured countries from France to New Zealand to Brazil.
MTR tributes
The six-metre-tall semi-circular glass dome at Exit E of Admiralty MTR Station has been taken over with a gigantic, if not mildly unsettling, tribute to the marine-dwelling marvel.
MTR Corporation Corporate Affairs and Branding Director Linda Choy said in a Friday press release that the duck has been a symbol of joy for some years. “As they return as a pair this year, MTR Corporation is delighted to bring different adorable dickies into our stations, presenting passengers with a joyful railway journey with the Rubber Ducks this summer. We are honoured to bring the iconic artworks of Florentijn Hofman into the community via the MTR railway network, bringing art into daily life and creating moments of childhood joy for Hong Kong.”
MTR walls, escalators and floors will be filled with illustrations of the portly orange-beaked character across 18 different stations.
According to The New York Times, searches for “big yellow duck” were blocked in China during its 2013 outing, after a duck was Photoshopped into the iconic Tiananmen crackdown “Tank Man” photo.
Support HKFP | Code of Ethics | Error/typo? | Contact Us | Newsletter | Transparency & Annual Report | Apps
Help safeguard press freedom & keep HKFP free for all readers by supporting our team
Support press freedom & help us surpass 1,000 monthly Patrons: 100% independent, governed by an ethics code & not-for-profit.
https://hongkongfp.com/2023/06/02/hkfp-lens-hong-kong-mtr-pays-tribute-to-gigantic-rubber-ducks/