The Slow Slugs at night | Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building

40,000 Plastic Bags Re-purposed to Create Florentijn Hofman’s Gigantic Slow Slug Sculptures

09/27/2012

Slow Slugs in Angers, France

<a title="Florentijn Hofman" href="http://www.florentijnhofman.nl/dev/projects.php" target="_blank">Florentijn Hofman</a> has a knack for creating lighthearted, large-scale installations that are certain to draw a crowd. Gigantic f<a title="Gigantic Rubber Duckie Floats Down the Loire River in France!" href="http://inhabitat.com/cute-gigantic-muskrat-sculpture-pops-up-in-the-dutch-countryside/florentijn-hofman-biodegradable-musk-rat-sculpture-7/" target="_blank">loating rubber ducks</a>, biodegradable muskrats, and <a title="Giant Red Dog from Scrap is a Dutch Village Watchdog" href="http://inhabitat.com/giant-red-dog-made-from-scrap-is-a-dutch-village-watchdog/florentijn-hofman-local-scrap-big-red-dog-sculpture-max-1/" target="_blank">huge red dogs</a> have all made their way from Hofman's imagination into the towns and countrysides of Europe. Now, single-use plastic bags are getting a second life as part of the Dutch artist's latest installation. The artist used over 40,000 disposable bags to cover the bodies of two gigantic slugs that were pulled slowly through the streets of Angers, France. The sculptures measured a towering 18 x 7.5 x 5 meters, and took about two weeks to build.

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Slow Slugs in Angers, France

Amidst the fast-paced, modern environment, it is nice to be reminded to slow down every once and a while and take in the scenery.

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Slow Slugs in Angers, France

The artist covered each giant gastropod with thousands of plastic bags over metal frames, finding a home for the disposable sacks away from the landfill.

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Inside the Slow Slug

Inside one of Hofman's Slow Slug sculptures.

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Inside the Slow Slug

The metal interior of one of Hofman's Slow Slug sculptures which was covered with thousands of colored plastic bags.

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Resting near the Slow Slugs

The Slugs were constructed from metal frames, twisted football nets, and 40,000 plastic bags.

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Slow Slugs moving north

The Slow Slugs crept closer to the church during each day of the festival.

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The Slow Slugs at night

Of his work, Hofman stated that each figure "reminds us of religion, mortality, natural decay and the slow suffocation of commercialized societies."

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Slow Slugs in Angers, France

Florentijn Hofman has a knack for creating lighthearted, large-scale installations that are certain to draw a crowd. Gigantic floating rubber ducks, biodegradable muskrats, and huge red dogs have all made their way from Hofman's imagination into the towns and countrysides of Europe. Now, single-use plastic bags are getting a second life as part of the Dutch artist's latest installation. The artist used over 40,000 disposable bags to cover the bodies of two gigantic slugs that were pulled slowly through the streets of Angers, France. The sculptures measured a towering 18 x 7.5 x 5 meters, and took about two weeks to build.

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Slow Slugs in Angers, France