The moon rabbit artwork was dismantled when it caught fire; Hoffman cared, "Was anyone hurt?"

By the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team

The 2014 Taoyuan Land Art Festival ended on September 14, drawing 2.46 million visitors over 11 days. Among the highlights was the much-anticipated 25-meter-tall moon rabbit created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman. With its cute appearance and flowing fur that fluttered in the wind, it brought joy and a sense of healing to many, leaving numerous memorable photos with the moon rabbit. It also helped many learn about an important cultural asset in Taoyuan—the Navy Taoyuan Base. However, on the morning of September 15, a fire accident occurred during construction by the exhibition team, and the Taoyuan County Government expressed deep regret and sorrow.

The Taoyuan County Cultural Affairs Bureau stated that after the art festival ended at 8 p.m. the previous night, the outsourced exhibition team was responsible for dismantling on-site hardware, tents, and other equipment, as well as packing and transporting the artworks on loan from the artists. As for the moon rabbit, specially designed for Taoyuan County by Dutch artist Hofman, the post-festival handling was scheduled to be carried out by the exhibition team on September 15, following the 11-day exhibition period.

During the disassembly of Hofman’s “Moon Rabbit,” construction workers first removed the ears and head, placing them on the nearby grass, then proceeded to dismantle the arms and legs. After the disassembly, a fire accident occurred due to construction negligence, which spread from the scorched grass to the moon rabbit. This resulted in the right side of the rabbit’s torso and parts of its limbs being singed, with damage covering less than five percent. The rabbit was not completely destroyed.