Whitestone Gallery Hong Kong is proud to present Play around the World, the first Asia gallery exhibition of internationally renowned artist Florentijn Hofman (Netherlands, 1977). Best known for large scale urban installations like Rubber Duck (2007) and Hippopo Thames (2014), this is Hofman’s first solo presentation in an Asian gallery space. Hofman will debut a new series of works Inspired by Line, his line drawings, and Play around the World, re-scaled ceramic sculptures from his previous much-loved public installations.
With this new body of works, Hofman discovers the beauty from pure shapes and materials while exploring the ideas of scale and perspective. Since its debut in 2007, Hofman’s Rubber Duck project has literally traveled around the world, from France to Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and Hong Kong, among other stops. Rubber Duck, which presents a common object rendered in an unusual size floating in the harbours of international cities, has drawn a lot of public attention.
Hofman believes his over- size sculptures in public place allow people to easily access art and experience familiar and positive emotions from childhood regardless of their nationality or religion. At the same time, creating work that interacts with audiences and brings people together has been an essential part of his public projects.