We have seen his work before in the ducky larger than life that floated along in different parts of the world. Also mentioned, a floppy looking Big Yellow Rabbit placed in the center of the Swedish Plaza, and the Macao Gordo. Florentijn Hofman‘s most recent work takes us to Angers, France featuring two sculptures towering 18 X 7.5 X 5 meters entitled Slow Slugs. It is constructed of a metal frame and 40,000 plastic bags tied across every square inch. The bags blow in the wind with a sluggish like movement. Though his art usually brings smiles, this project had a deeper meaning that touches some pretty heavy subjects we can all relate to. The Slow Slugs were placed upon a steep staircase that face a Catholic Church this is meant to signify a “slow crawl towards death”. As you take in the piece, be thoughtful on “religion, mortality, natural decay, and the slow suffocation of commercialized societies.”
These gigantic pieces of art have a reputation for bringing people together. It is true that living in our multimedia world full of social networks people tend to dodge real relationships. We can get away with going from the front door to the subway to the office and back again with our ear plugs in, our smart phones lit up, and never make one connection. But with the magic of Florentijn Hofman, perfect strangers walking through the streets that see his gigantic art can stop and smile and share reactions. “People are making contact with each other again. That is the effect of my sculptures in the public domain.” He proudly admires the audience his sculptures create. Not every artist gets to see such immediate response to their work in this way.
