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Florentijn Hofman’s Rubber Duck | debut in Pittsburgh
Giant Rubber Duck makes U.S. debut for Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts 2013
Fri, Sep 27 - Sun, Oct 20 2013
Allegheny Riverfront Park - New York Consulate Region
Studio Florentijn Hofman’s The Rubber Duck has ignited crazes in Hong Kong, Sydney and other international locales and will make its U.S. debut in Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s International Festival of Firsts. Starting September 27, The Rubber Duck will launch on the Allegheny River setting in motion four weeks of diverse programming featuring acclaimed international companies and artists premiering works never before seen in the United States. Presentations of theater, dance, music, performance and visual arts will grace several Cultural District venues, in spaces both traditional and highly unexpected.
“Pittsburgh has a confluence of international activities taking place during the fall of 2013,” said Kevin McMahon, president & CEO of The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “The city has been re-imagined and remade and is now hosting major international events-from the Carnegie International to the Remaking Cities Conference- that provide for an intriguing cultural climate. The return of the Cultural Trust’s festival could not have taken place during a more fitting year, and we are glad to be part of the economic, cultural and quality-of-life transformation that is part of the region’s 30-year investment in the arts.”
This year’s Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts companies and artists represent a vast array of countries from The Netherlands, Quebec, Belgium, Australia, Switzerland and Nova Scotia as well as the United States.
Adding to the immensity of this year’s Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts is the opening night appearance of Studio Florentijn Hofman’s The Rubber Duck of The Netherlands. The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers; it doesn’t discriminate and doesn’t have a political connotation. The friendly, floating, four-story-high Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them. The duck has been on display in Amsterdam, Belgium, Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong and arrives in the US for the first time for the Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts.
About Studio Florentijn Hofman
Artist Florentijn Hofman wants to bring joy with his giant duck, which he claims helps reconnect people with their forgotten childhoods, “My sculptures cause an uproar, astonishment and put a smile on your face. They give people a break from their daily routines. Passers-by stop in front of them and enter into conversation with other spectators. People are making contact with each other again. The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn’t discriminate and doesn’t have a political connotation. The friendly, floating, four-story-high Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them.”
The Rubber Duck has been spreading joy around the world while on display in Amsterdam, Belgium, Osaka, Sydney, Sao Paulo and Hong Kong, and arrives in the U.S. to conquer hearts for the first time to launch Pittsburgh International Festival of Firsts.