Yarat! introduces work of Florentijn Hofman - Rubber Duck - POTOS

Today's cute and 5-storey apartment house-height Rubber Duck is world's celebrity. This fabulous bird used to rock on the waves in the bays of the biggest cities of the globe like New-York, Tokyo, Osaka and Sao Paolo, in which it hit the headlines and became an artistic city-shaker. The bird creator, Mr. Florentijn Hofman, a Dutch artist, has been accompanying this art object in its worldwide sail sing.

Thanks to Participate Baku Public Art Festival organized by YARAT Contemporary Art Space, both the artist and the art piece will finally arrive to Baku in August this year, and 12-meter Rubber Duck is expected to be set afloat in the locality of Baku Seaside Boulevard on 5 September 2013.

How is it that precisely this art piece, though incredibly adorable, managed to steal a way to the hearts of the residents of different states and continents? Let's try to unveil the secrecy of the Rubber Duck and its triumphal global cruise.

Ideas of Rubber Duck creation run in the artist's head in 2007, in his native town of Rotterdam. Florentijn has been always blessed with the capacity of foretelling the beauty of regular stuff, and he used to derive inspiration from present-day experience rather than from the Muses or early philosophers.

In marked contrast to his counterparts stating they are not troubling about the impression of the audience, Mr. Hofman demonstrates utmost sensitivity to thoughts and opinions of others. The artist pays particular attention to the ways of life and habitat of the significant others. It is specifically his hypersensitivity that underlies versatility of his artistic language and the light sent forth by his sculptures. His artworks are distinguished by delicate irony expressed in regard of traditional "in-museum" art, its sobriety and rigidity. As if the artist strives to declare through his amusing and soul stirring inflatable toys: "Yeah, I'm just a big kid, and I can make you smile!" In fact, he can.

Needless to say, his most popular artwork, the Rubber Duck, is loved both in Japan and the USA, and Europe... The author comments on his personal success as follows: "The Duck generates a pleasant homesickness in the soul of everyone. It does not recognize borders or racial differences... It is friendly and keeps away from politics. It is inclined to reconcile people irrespective of their age and education. It is capable to stop perfect strangers and make them chat. It is capability to forge relationships that predominates in public art objects."

Perhaps Hofman's installation reminds us our childhood and the period when such an inflatable duck was our closest friend and a part of our inward habit. We are just pleased with good humor and elegance the author uses while highlighting dimensions of infantine emotions in adults' life.

Being aspired of his favorite creature, Florentijn Hofman did a plethora of breathtaking artworks. In 2010, he installed a 15-meter sculpture called by locals "The Fat Monkey" ("Macaco Gordo") in the Central Park of Sao Paolo, a city in Brazil. However, if you look closely, you can realize the artwork is made from 10,000 pairs of flip flops, iconic Brazilian footwear.

In 2010, the artist created "The Big Yellow Rabbit" for a Swedish city of Örebro. The "beast" was constructed out of locally-manufactured shingles and wooden armature the Swedish people use for roofing.

Florentijn Hofman managed to create several large-scale public art objects for last years. In 2004-2006, he drew general public attention to a condemned district in the city of Beukelsblauw by painting the entire buildings bright-blue.

In 2008, Mr. Hofman invited 470 volunteers to take a flight by the world- biggest balloon on the occasion of new highway opening. His primary purpose was to demonstrate his basket mates a bird's-eye view of the region and its outskirts and provide them with possibility of seeing a new light in regular stuff.

Hence, Baku is eagerly awaiting the coming of "Rubber Duck", virtually one of the most positive and attractive images selected by the emerging Dutch artist. Soon enough, its outlines will be visible along the coastline of Baku Boulevard, and every Boulevard visitor will be able to make a quick spiritual trip to his/her childhood.

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