Two giant rubber duck installations have left Hong Kong’s harbour earlier than planned due to unstable weather and repair fees totalling at least HK$500,000, local media reported citing sources.
The twin 18-metre-tall rubber ducks by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman began their floating journey around the harbour on June 10. The bathtub favourites were set to be exhibited for 14 days. However, one of the two inflatable pontoons deflated at around 2pm in the heat of the first day of the show. It was later resurrected.
The exhibition was organised by local creative company AllRightsReserved. Lam Shu-kam. founder of the company, told local media that the cost of the exhibition was high.
The repair fees for the deflation incident totalled HK$500,000, according to Sing Tao citing anonymous sources.
As the project had no government funding, organisers found sponsorship from various commercial groups including insurance firms, mobile companies and a bank.
Hong Kong has seen extreme heat and thunderstorms this month, adding to the risks for the floating exhibition.
The twin ducks had already experienced storms before they were released into the harbour, leading Hofman to joke that they “took a bath this morning”.
Deflation disaster
Following a tour of major global cities in 2007, a lone duck was first exhibited in Hong Kong in 2013. It attracted over 8 million visitors, according to organisers.
Back then, the duck also suffered a leak, with organisers pointing to heavy rain. It took a week to examine and repair the inflatable.
Nevertheless, along with an identical accomplice, the duck installation returned to the city’s waters a decade later. The artist said the gigantic yellow duo represented “twice the fun, double the happiness”.
During their last weekend in the Fragrant Harbour, the ducks floated between Causeway Bay, Central, Fortress Hill and Tsim Sha Tsui, as thousands witnessed their farewell tour.
HKFP has contacted AllRightsReserved for comment.
