Giant octopus playscape by artist Florentijn Hofman and UAP unveiled in Shenzhen
The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, November 14, 2024


Giant octopus playscape by artist Florentijn Hofman and UAP unveiled in Shenzhen
Florentijn Hofman is the Dutch artist renowned for his enlarged animal sculptures, most notably the Rubber Duck.



SHENZHEN.- Kraken , a giant octopus by artist Florentijn Hofman and creative studio UAP, has been unveiled in Shenzhen. The large-scale artwork is featured on the seaside park of Vanke’s One City Development in Yantian district and forms an immersive, magical playground.

Florentijn Hofman is the Dutch artist renowned for his enlarged animal sculptures, most notably the Rubber Duck - a giant inflatable yellow duck created in 2007, which has since travelled to more than 25 cities around the world.

Kraken has been designed alongside the Shanghai team of UAP, which has gained an international reputation for collaborating with acclaimed artists to deliver large-scale artworks.

The imaginative sculpture is inspired by the history of the area where, until recently, the harbour housed a battleship, blocking the panoramic ocean views of Hong Kong. The name Kraken is a nod to the mythical giant sea monster known for attacking sailing vessels, and in the same way, Hofman’s Kraken stands guard over the harbour that looks out to Hong Kong in the distance.

As a subtle and humorous gesture, Kraken juxtaposes the narrative of a terrifying mythological creature that lives deep in the ocean with a whimsical form reminiscent of an old fashioned and crocheted soft toy.

International studio UAP worked with Florentijn Hofman on the design development and fabrication process, exploring the potentials of materials and forms required to bring the artist’s playful vision to life. Kraken stands at a towering 9.5m high and 13m wide, with eight tentacles and four entrances/exits attracting both children and grown-ups from all directions.

Daniel Tobin, founder and creative director of UAP comments: “We are very proud to have collaborated with Florentijn Hofman throughout the design and commissioning process of Kraken. Ensuring the artist’s playful vision was realised through exploration of materiality was an integral part of this process. Kraken’s whimsical nature and internal playscape are a delight to all who visit.”

Kraken is open to the residents of Vanke’s One City Development as well as the general public.










Today's News

May 22, 2017

18th-century French paintings from across America on view at National Gallery of Art

Expressionist masterpiece by Kandinsky to appear at Auction for first time

Works by Alberto Giacometti and Peter Lindbergh on view at Gagosian

Kröller-Müller Museum opens major retrospective of the work of Hans (Jean) Arp

Zisha teapots and Chinese seals on the podium at Gianguan Auctions

Drawings from the early 1960's by Sonia Gechtoff on view at Anders Wahlstedt Fine Art

Barnebys.com: Opening the digital door to the exclusive auction world

Heritage Sports photography auction recalls the joy and heartache of a century of Yankees history

Bidsquare's "Gone Mad", rewinding to retro featuring curated midcentury furniture, design and fashion

Xavier Hufkens presents two site-specific murals by Swiss artist Nicolas Party

Leopold Museum opens exhibition on the paradigm of exploration and discovery

1856 campaign flag sells for $275,000 at Heritage Auctions, shattering world record

Giant octopus playscape by artist Florentijn Hofman and UAP unveiled in Shenzhen

Chewday's opens exhibition of works by Mathis Gasser

Largest solo exhibition of Nobuyoshi Araki opens in Hong Kong

Ellis King presents Grear Patterson's "Cereal Eater"

Highlights, rediscoveries of American design trends on view in new exhibition

Exhibition presents recent initiatives designed to improve the temporary situations faced by refugees

Willem Dafoe to play painter Van Gogh in new biopic

Fifty years following the start of the Rosc Exhibitions IMMA and NIVAL revisit these landmark exhibitions

Pioneering conceptual multi-media exhibition by Vivan Sundaram on view at sepiaEYE

Forbidden City ceramic ware and works by Christopher Wilmarth featured in exhibitions

Million euro castle-find Mercedes leads the pack at Bonhams Spa Classic Sale




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez
Writer: Ofelia Zurbia Betancourt

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful