Hong Kong’s scenic Victoria Harbour has long been celebrated for its breathtaking views, and the recent addition of a 54-foot-tall rubber duck floating in its waters attracted thousands of visitors and sent sales of the signature bath toy surging. But onlookers were disappointed last week when the giant art installation hastily deflated and looked like what Agence-France Presse referred to as, “a floating fried egg.”
The 54-feet inflatable Rubber Duck art installation is seen at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on May 2, 2013.
Thankfully, all that kerfuffle is in the past now. Locals cheered the duck’s return on Tuesday, and Hong Kong’s largest shopping center posted an image of the giant bath toy on its Facebook page, notifying fans that the duck is all freshened up. Organizers cited maintenance reasons for the duck’s abrupt deflation. The exhibit will remain afloat in the harbor until June 9, when it will move on to greet another city. Installed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the inflatable has visited 13 cities in nine different countries since 2007.
