Big Yellow Duck

The Making of the Big Yellow Duck

2009-05-31T09:52:00.000+02:00

Laying out the Tools in the studio, finally after being on the road for a year.

Covering the wire structure with the first layer.

Here is the duck with the paper machete and bottom painted.

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The Duck gets its first coat of primer.

The Procession to Boxhagener Platz

2009-05-30T16:41:00.001+02:00

Duck in a doorway

They love "The Duck"

Duck on a bike

The Duck procession didn't go as we had scheduled it. We had to start a day early due to the heavy rains that had been forecasted.

Duck outside of the Senior Citizens Center.

Duck Vigil: Part One (Day time)

2009-05-29T11:15:00.001+02:00

Monday, May 26, 2009

Time: 13:02
"The Duck" is placed in the grass at Boxhagener Platz.

Time 13:04
Almost immediately after our arrival, two drunk guys stagger over and sit right next to "The Duck" without noticing it.

Enrique starts drawing on the ground and building things with grass, dirt, and sticks.

Enrique leaves.

One of the guys who was hanging out on the benches comes over and starts photographing "The Duck".

Time: 15:30

Child comes and pets "The Duck".

I found myself wanting anonymity and at the same time intervening and speaking with the families. But, then I stopped.

Here is the beginning of the end.
The destruction of my creation....

Time: 16:30

Thanks to Mathieu Séry for the next three photographs (me and "The Duck").

The duck watchers: Mathieu Séry, Jennifer Wong, and Devin Sioma.

Some guy with a cell phone in one hand and an ice cream cone in another hand stops and looks at the duck.

The children love "The Duck".

Another child starts climbing on the duck.

but gets pulled off by the parents.

The cycle continues....

Time: 16:54
Here comes trouble (girl on bike with helmet).

Time: 16:56
The women with the bikes stopped at the duck. One of them gave it a pat, the other gave a kick.

Time: 17:00
"The Duck" is starting to show signs of abuse.

Two people (one with crutches) come over, touch "The Duck", and play with its beak.

Four people drinking beer come to see the duck.

Guy with ice cream cone puts a feather on the ducks rear end.

A boy with his sister come over. The boy tries to ride the duck.

It collapses. He sees me running toward him and gets a little scared.

He sees that I am laughing.

His mother comes over too.

The guy with the icecream cone comes back (drinking a beer this time).

Time: 17:21- We relocate the blanket on the other side of the duck.

Time 17:26: Another family approaches and pets "The Duck"

Time: 17:30

Time: 18:00 Cary stops by and takes a photo while I go and get a falafel teller.

18:22- Guy with big hair sets up camp behind the duck

Time: 18:30

more children....

Time: 19:00

Time: 20:08

Duck Vigil: Part Two

2009-05-28T19:32:00.029+02:00

"The Duck" before its fall from glory.

Princess with "The Duck".

The beginning of the end....

A few cracks and dents beginning to emerge.

Me and "The Duck".

Time: 20:08

Time: 20:30

Time: 21:00 PM

Time: 21:30

Time: 22:00

Time: 22:30

At this point, a drunk guy with his belt half undone sits down next to us and starts talking. We decide to end the vigil early.

Time: 11:00
Devin and I go to retrieve "The Duck". At 11:01 a dog walks by and pees on it. We decide to leave it in the park for the night.

A few minutes later, we run into Enrique and Mathieu who were heading to the park. I give them my camera.

more photos thanks to Enrique and Mathieu....

They left the duck sitting by the tree. I returned on Tuesday morning before the rainstorm.

Clarissa and Mari.

During the rain, I heard rumors that "The Duck" was squashed like a pancake. I returned to the park later in the day to see if it was true.

The End.