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DEFLATING DUCK. An art installation called "Double Ducks," by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, is seen at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. Two giant inflatable ducks made a splash in the harbor, marking the return of a pop-art project that sparked a frenzy in the city a decade ago. One of the two ducks floating in the harbor deflated just a day after the inflatables were unveiled to revellers. Organizers said their staff found one of the ducks was overstretched due to the hot weather and rising air pressure, so the air was released by loosening the seams to avoid potential risk. It was then transferred back to the shipyard for repair. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

DOUBLE DUCKS. Members of the public photograph an art installation called "Double Ducks" by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman before one of the ducks was deflated at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. The 59-foot-tall yellow ducks resemble bath toys. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Onlookers take selfies near an art installation called "Double Ducks" by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. One of the two ducks floating in the harbor deflated just a day after the inflatables were unveiled to revellers. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

Onlookers hold toy ducks near an art installation called "Double Ducks" by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman at Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)

From The Asian Reporter, V33, #7 (July 3, 2023), pages 1 & 2.

By Kanis Leung

The Associated Press

HONG KONG — One of the two giant inflatable ducks floating in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor deflated last month, just a day after the inflatables were unveiled to revellers.

Crowds of residents and tourists flocked in the scorching heat to the promenade near the government headquarters in Admiralty to snap photos of the ducks by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. But many who arrived in the afternoon only found one duck intact, with the other reduced to a puddle of yellow plastic.

Organizers said their staff found one of the ducks was overstretched due to the hot weather and rising air pressure.

"It was decided that the air needed to be immediately released by loosening the seams to avoid any potential risk," they wrote in a post on social media.

They said the duck was transferred back to the shipyard for repair.

The two 59-foot-tall yellow ducks resemble bath toys. In 2013, one of Hofman’s ducks was displayed in the city and sparked a frenzy. But that duck was also deflated during its exhibition period.

Hofman said he hoped the return of his pop-art icons would bring some joy to the city. "Double duck, double luck," he said.

Hong Kong office worker Snow Wong said it was "even more interesting" to see the duck deflated.

"It makes us wonder if double happiness is really possible in Hong Kong. And if you look at the duck, you may find your answer," the 35-year-old said.

Many Hong Kongers at the promenade recalled the happiness his work brought to the shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui in 2013. Some were excited to see a pair of ducks instead of just one duck like the earlier exhibition.

Among the early visitors was artist Laurence Lai, who brought paint brushes to make watercolors of the ducks. Lai said the city was full of negative vibes in recent years during the COVID-19 pandemic and that it’s time for the city to move on.

"With life returning to normal, the ducks can bring back some positivity," the 50-year-old said.

Shenzhen resident Eva Yang and her young daughters were also happy to see the ducks, saying they made their sightseeing in Hong Kong more memorable.

"They’re spectacular," Yang said.

Macao resident Annita Lei, who later visited Hong Kong to see the ducks, was left disappointed. "(Having) two ducks is very special," Lei said.

In 2013, residents and tourists packed streets near Tsim Sha Tsui pier to catch a glimpse of Hofman’s duck.

That duck’s stint in Hong Kong unintentionally turned political on the social media platform Weibo around the anniversary of Beijing’s Tiananmen crackdown in 1989. Chinese censors blocked searches for the term "big yellow duck" after netizens shared an image in which the tanks in the iconic "Tank Man" image were replaced with a line of oversized giant rubber ducks.

Hofman’s rubber ducks have been on a world tour since 2007.

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