The “Super-Sturdy” Yellow Duck Embodies Hakka Spirit, Set to Float in Taoyuan’s Ponds on the 26th

▲ The Yellow Duck heads to the Taoyuan Land Art Festival on October 26. The image shows a conceptual view of the Yellow Duck at Houhu Pond. (Photo provided by the Taoyuan County Government Cultural Affairs Bureau)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The Yellow Duck craze heads northward! After drawing over 2.3 million visitors at Kaohsiung’s Glory Pier, the Yellow Duck is making its way directly to the Taoyuan Xinyi Land Art Festival on October 26. To ensure this “Taoyuan Duck” can withstand the strong coastal winds in Xinyi, the special production team commissioned by the Taoyuan County Government has crafted an extra “super-sturdy” duck. This ensures that even in the face of fierce winds, the Yellow Duck will embody the unyielding spirit of Taoyuan’s Hakka people and remain standing tall.

The “Land Square Art Festival,” which kicks off in Xinyi Township, Taoyuan County, on October 26, features five major themes showcasing the Hakka spirit and local culture of this “land of fish and rice.” The highlight is undoubtedly the Yellow Duck floating in the pond! Its display size matches that of the one in Kaohsiung — 18 meters in both height and width, and 25 meters in length — but its internal structure is quite different from other Yellow Ducks.

To prevent the Yellow Duck from being adversely affected by the strong coastal winds in Xinyi, the production team commissioned by the Taoyuan County Government specially used hundreds of pieces of thickened PVC-coated mesh fabric. They also exclusively ordered fabric with a width of 2.1 meters, allowing the duck’s body to be fully inflated without any internal supports, thus maintaining its plump and full appearance. In addition, a weighted floating platform was created to secure the duck’s weight and resist the strong winds, ensuring the duck stands firmly. The Taoyuan Yellow Duck is also scheduled to undergo its first inflation and water test on the 24th.

Alongside the Yellow Duck, other large inflatable installations at the Land Art Festival include Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s “Dot Obsession,” Korean artist Choi Jeong Hwa’s “Lotus,” as well as exhibits featuring the historic Fanjiang Ancestral House and the Shuigang Exhibition Area. In addition to drawing crowds with the Yellow Duck, the festival also aims to promote the local culture of Xinyi Township.

Taoyuan Land Square Art Festival

Dates:: October 26 to November 10, 2013
Location:: Xinyi Township, Taoyuan County
Exhibits:

Holland’s Florentijn Hofman’s “Yellow Duck”
Japan’s Yayoi Kusama’s “Dot Obsession”
Korea’s Choi Jeong Hwa’s “Lotus”
Fanjiang Ancestral House
Shuigang Exhibition Area
Free Shuttle Bus:: Daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, extended until 9:30 PM on November 10 only
Four routes — red, blue, yellow, and green; weekdays every 10–20 minutes, weekends every 5–10 minutes

Official Website of Taoyuan Land Art Festival
Taoyuan Land Art Festival Facebook Page