The Beijing Design Week Welcomes the Rubber Duck to Beijing

The Beijing Design Week Welcomes the Rubber Duck to Beijing

- A Special Gift by this Year’s Guest City Amsterdam

Dutch Artist Florentijn Hofman officially announced the visit of the original Rubber Duck to Beijing during a press conference organised by the duck’s host, the Beijing Design Week and it’s 2013 Guest city Amsterdam. This will be the first visit of the Rubber Duck to China's capital.  

After an official signing ceremony attended by the artist, representatives of the Beijing Design Week and the Netherlands Embassy in Beijing, the artist announced the arrival of the duck during a press conference: “The Rubber Duck knows no frontiers, it doesn't discriminate people and doesn't have a political connotation. The friendly, floating Rubber Duck has healing properties: it can relieve mondial tensions as well as define them. The rubber duck is soft, friendly and suitable for all ages!”

Starting in the Netherlands in 2007, the rubber duck has been a veritable globetrotter, taking in France, Brazil, Germany, Australia and now the capital of China. His childhood inspiration makes people feel connected to one another across borders. Its recent visit to Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour in May attracted about 8 Mio visitors with many especially visiting from the mainland.

According to the Organising Committee of the BJDW, copyright protection of the artist’s work is one of the main discussion topics during the meetings with Florentijn Hofman. Wang Jun, a Senior Consultant to BJDW’s IP Protection Office stated: “ We want to use the Rubber Duck case to drive an awareness programme raising the sensibility towards intellectual property rights around China.”

According to the Organising Committee of the BJDW, the Beijing Design Week will be held from September 26th to October 3rd 2013.

(Resource: Beijing Design Week)