On May 17, Florentijn Hofman’s world-traveling Rubber Duck makes its East Coast debut at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, Virginia. The cheerful inflated sculpture will float outside the museum as part of the celebrations for the recently completed renovations (the museum officially reopened on May 10).
Last spring, the 40-foot duck made a splash in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor during Art Basel in Hong Kong, before traveling to Pittsburgh, its first US destination, in September. The Chrysler will be the second stateside stop for the popular artwork, which debuted in 2007.
“I don’t understand how or why this works,” Chrysler director Bill Hennessey told Hampton Roads. “But there’s something about this duck that simply makes people happy.”
The Chrysler is marking the larger-than-life bath toy’s visit with Ducky Days at the museum’s Glass Studio. Visitors are invited to cast their own ducks from molten glass in family-friendly classes on May 20 and May 23.
Rubber Duck will be on view May 17–26 at the Chrysler Museum.