Large inflatable geese make a splash in Hong Kong as pop-art venture returns after 10 years

HONG KONG (AP) — Two large inflatable geese made a splash in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor on Friday, marking the return of a pop-art venture that sparked a frenzy within the metropolis a decade in the past.

The two 18-meter-tall yellow geese by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman resemble the tub toys many performed with of their childhood. Shortly after their launch, dozens of residents and vacationers flocked to the promenade close to the federal government headquarters in Admiralty to snap pictures of the geese.

Hofman mentioned he hopes the artwork exhibition brings pleasure to the town and connects folks as they make recollections collectively.

“Double duck, double luck,” he mentioned. “In a world where we suffered from a pandemic, wars and political situations, I think it is the right moment to bring back the double luck.”

The inflatable geese will keep in Hong Kong for about two weeks.

Many Hong Kongers on the promenade recalled the happiness his work dropped at the buying district of Tsim Sha Tsui in 2013. Some had been excited to see a pair of geese on Friday as an alternative of only one duck like the sooner exhibition.

Among the guests was artist Laurence Lai, who introduced paint brushes to make watercolors of the geese. Lai mentioned the town was stuffed with damaging vibes in recent times through the COVID-19 pandemic and that it’s time for the town to maneuver on.

“With life returning to normal, the ducks can bring back some positivity,” the 50-year-old mentioned.

Shenzhen resident Eva Yang and her younger daughters had been additionally completely happy to see the geese, saying they made their sightseeing in Hong Kong extra memorable.

“They’re spectacular,” Yang mentioned.

In 2013, residents and vacationers packed streets close to the Tsim Sha Tsui pier to catch a glimpse of Hofman’s duck.

That duck’s stint in Hong Kong unintentionally turned political on the social media platform Weibo across the anniversary of Beijing’s Tiananmen crackdown in 1989. Chinese censors blocked searches for the time period “big yellow duck” after netizens shared a picture through which the tanks within the iconic “ Tank man” picture had been changed with a line of outsized large rubber geese.