Florentijn Hofman’s Five-Story-Tall Rubber Duck Floats Its Way Into Sydney

Somewhere in Sydney, Australia, someone is looking for a giant bar of soap. That's because Dutch artist <a title="Florentijn Hofman" href="http://www.florentijnhofman.nl/dev/index.php" target="_blank">Florentijn Hofman</a> just launched a gigantic floating rubber duck in Darling Harbor! The massive quacker was commissioned for this year's <a title="Sydney Festival 2013" href="http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2013/" target="_blank">Sydney Festival</a>, a three week city-wide celebration of arts and culture. Measuring 15 meters high and 18 meters wide, the oversized toy is one of many of Hofman's <a title="40,000 Plastic Bags Re-purposed to Create Florentijn Hofman's Gigantic Slow Slug Sculptures Read more: 40,000 Plastic Bags Re-purposed to Create Florentijn Hofman's Gigantic Slow Slug Sculptures " href="http://inhabitat.com/40000-plastic-bags-re-purposed-to-create-florentijn-hofmans-gigantic-slow-slug-sculptures/" target="_blank">humorous installations</a>, which place larger-than-life objects in unexpected landscapes.

For this year's Sydney Festival, visitors will be treated to Florentijn Hofman's latest light-hearted installation, the Rubber Duck.

Featuring over 750 artists from 17 countries, the Festival needed something that would grab the world's attention make a big splash during the slower summer months.

Created from PVC, the nearly five story high bird is the latest incarnation of Hofman's iconic piece which has also graced the waters of such cities as Osaka, Japan, Sao Paolo, Brazil, and Auckland, New Zealand.

"The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages!" says Hofman of his work.

The Rubber Duck playfully transforms the series of waterways into a giant bathtub, drawing on childhood nostalgia to create a feeling of connection with the environment.

The perfect blend of high art and entertainment, Hofman's work brings pop culture out into nature and forms a unique relationship between human expression and nature.

Giant and cheerful, Hofman's Rubber Duck delights festival-goers in Sydney.

Hofman believes that his duck has healing properties. With such a cheerful visage, who could argue?