Don’t just look at the yellow duckling — Yayoi Kusama and Choi Jeong Hwa are the real classics.

▲ Yayoi Kusama’s work takes on a special beauty under the setting sun.

Reported and photographed by You t
ru / Taoyuan

The yellow duckling craze has swept through northern Taiwan. The “Taoyuan Xinyi Land Art Festival,” now on display until November 10, features not only the much-talked-about yellow duckling but also two other internationally acclaimed artworks: Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s dotted creation “Footprints of Life” and South Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa’s “Lotus.” These three pieces represent the major international highlights of the festival and are the most noteworthy masterpieces on show in the Taoyuan Land Art Festival. If you visit the land art festival, don’t just focus on the yellow duckling — the works by Yayoi Kusama and Choi Jeong Hwa are also classic masterpieces.


▲ The 18-meter-tall yellow duckling peeks out from behind the festival signboard.

Although the exhibition site is somewhat remote and many visitors have complained about the conditions, visiting all three installations to admire the original masterpieces from the Netherlands, Japan, and South Korea can be a uniquely healing experience. Among them, the independently produced 18-meter-tall yellow duckling in Taoyuan County now resides in Houhu Pond. Due to the limited space of the exhibition area, visitors wishing to take close-up photos of the duckling must walk up the slope in front of the pond. This pathway is relatively narrow and paved with gravel, so walkers should be especially careful to avoid pushing and shoving with other tourists.


▲ Be sure to watch out for pushing when taking photos of the duckling.

In addition to the yellow duckling, the land art festival has also invited a renowned Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama, to showcase her piece “Footprints of Life.” This pink sculpture, covered in black polka dots, is placed on a lotus pond, creating a striking contrast with its surroundings. The artwork shifts slightly on the water due to the wind, and its signature vivid colors draw the attention of all who pass by. While it may not have the massive visual impact of the yellow duckling, the piece offers a unique aesthetic charm no matter where it is viewed.


▲ The pink sculpture, covered in black polka dots, is placed on a lotus pond, creating a striking contrast with its surroundings.


▲ %The sculpture, covered in black polka dots, creates different moods and visual effects depending on the viewing angle.


Walking further along the exhibition path, you’ll find the work “Lotus” by Choi Jeong Hwa, known as the “father of the Korean pop art movement,” on the right side of the pond. This red-and-black lotus, spanning a diameter of 11 to 25 meters, floats on Gualing Pond No. 58. The large-scale lotus artwork demonstrates remarkable vitality as it sways in the wind, its leaves and petals gently trembling as though dancing on the water’s surface.


▲ %The 11- to 25-meter-wide red-and-black lotus floats on Gualing Pond No. 58.