After a 10-year hiatus, the giant rubber yellow duck returned to Hong Kong and held its launch ceremony in Victoria Harbour on June 9. It will be exhibited in Victoria Harbour for two consecutive weeks from June 10. Many citizens braved the rain to take photos with the Yellow Duck in Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui.
Creator: We Need Some Happiness
Florentijn Hofman said that he hopes bringing a pair of ducks together this time can bring double luck to Hong Kong. He joked that the ducklings took a bath this morning and were shining brightly. He also sighed that since 2013, it has been a wonderful journey. When the organizer invited him this time, he was hesitant at first. “Referring to the experience in 2013, he had to think twice about it several times. So as you can see now, I brought two rubber ducks with me. Double duck is double luck.”
He blessed that people can enjoy this work in the next two weeks and hopes the exhibition brings as much joy as possible. “As it did in the past and in a world where we suffered from a pandemic, wars, and a political situation, I think it’s the right moment to bring back the double luck, ” said Hofman.
Citizens Cheer up “Depressed Hong Kong”
The creative brand AllRightsReserved (ARR) host of the exhibition said that the rubber duck has a new companion, returning to Hong Kong in pairs just like the Chinese characters “囍(double happiness)” and “朋(friend),” symbolizing good things come in pairs and hoping to add double happiness to the city.
The founder of AllRightsReserved, SK Lam, said in an interview that everyone is now working hard to live after the epidemic. He hopes that besides memories, the yellow duck can also bring “regaining (重拾-double ten) happiness,” meaning its 10th anniversary.
Ms. Wong, a citizen interviewed, said that the arrival of the yellow duck could cheer up the currently “depressed Hong Kong,” which is full of unhappiness. She also feels inspired by seeing this yellow duck traveling worldwide. She smiled and said, “I hope I can travel like the yellow duck and wander around the world one day!”
Mr. Liu, a citizen, said that he and his wife started dating in 2013, and their first date was at Victoria Harbour watching the rubber duck exhibition. They plan to visit “the little duck” again on June 11 and celebrate their 10th anniversary of love together. He joked, “This time, the duck brought another duck back; someone said it brought its wife back. I didn’t expect that after 10 years, I would bring my wife back to see it.”
Ms. Li, another citizen, said that when the yellow duck arrived in 2013, she was still in secondary school and once had an exam question about it; one of her classmates answered, “This is a collective memory of Hong Kong people; it reminds us of our childhood toy yellow duck.” She added, “I can’t believe that 10 years have passed, and the yellow duck has returned with a companion today!”
In 2007, the giant rubber duck began to be exhibited worldwide. In 2013, it held an exhibition in Hong Kong called “Rubber Duck Project, Hong Kong Tour,” which attracted many citizens to watch and became a collective memory of Hong Kong people. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the rubber duck’s visit to Hong Kong. The organizer held the “Double Ducks” exhibition, where two rubber ducks swam together for the first time in Victoria Harbour. The pair of ducks will be stationed on Victoria Harbour, adjacent to Tamar Park and Central and Western District Promenade, and are expected to stay in Victoria Harbour for two weeks.
