The impending arrival of the world's largest rubber duck in New York was heralded earlier this month. And now, the 11-ton, air-filled ambassador of joy has finally docked at Oyster Bay, Long Island "in time for the annual oyster festival taking place on October 17 and 18," according to Mashable.
"Florentijn Hofman is the Dutch artist behind Mama Duck," the news source said. "His giant floating toy has made appearances all over the world, from Hong Kong to Sydney."
You can check out the photos here.
Mama Duck is a special guest at the annual event in Long Island; its presence is aimed to "inspire visitors to conserve natural resources and be mindful of water safety," New York Post relayed, adding that it may also whip up a selfie frenzy in the area.
The 61-feet-tall floating sculpture first arrived in the United States in September 2013, with Pittsburgh serving as its point of entry then.
An unauthorized imitation of the gigantic Hofman duck made an appearance at the Tall Ships Festival at Philadelphia in June this year. Unfortunately, the said duck deflated. Perhaps that is fate's way of affirming there's nothing like the original.
"The duck has inspired numerous knock-offs, especially in China," Metro noted. In fact, many cities in the country have their own ducks since June 2013, it added.
"Out of the water, the duck itself is embroiled in art-world controversy over whether it pays proper respect to Dutch artist Florentjin Hofman," the publication went on. "Hofman presented artist renderings for the duck that appeared in L.A. and will appear in Philly, but he told PhillyMag that the organizers don't have permission to use it again."
Mama Duck has a reputation for drawing crowds wherever she goes. She has been traveling the world since 2007. Hofman, the gigantic inflatable's designer, had set up a set of guidelines that needed to be adhered to in order for Mama Duck to be able to appear at certain places.
"First, it must always be shown to the general public ... it's not for private [use]. There must not be any commercialised items involved. It must always be on the water. And it needs to be produced locally," he told South China Morning Post. "The water in the world is our global bathtub. We need to stay simple. The Rubber Duck needs to stay as a Rubber Duck."
Hofman reportedly turned down and does not allow companies to affix their logos on any part of the duck, including those who commissioned its appearance.
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