BEIJING: The popularity of a giant inflatable duck afloat in Hong Kong harbor has not gone unnoticed in mainland China, where two copies have been launched in as many days, according to reports yesterday. Thousands of visitors have flocked to view the 16.5-meter blow-up, conceived by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, since it was towed to the Hong Kong waterfront on May 2, with duck mania gripping the city.
But China has now seen the launch of two of its own ducks, albeit smaller versions. The first was in the northern city of Tianjin on Friday and was funded by a property developer, the daily Global Times reported. The second took to the water Saturday in the central city of Wuhan, according to a blog from the Yangtze daily. Since 2007 Hofman’s duck has traveled to 13 different cities in nine countries ranging from Brazil to Australia in its journey around the world.
The artist said he hopes the duck, which is due to stay in Hong Kong until June 9, will act as a “catalyst” to connect people to public art.
Chinese imitators copy Hong Kong’s giant duck
Chinese imitators copy Hong Kong’s giant duck
Makkah museum displays world’s largest Qur’an
MAKKAH: The Holy Qur’an Museum at the Hira Cultural District in Makkah is showcasing a monumental handwritten copy of the Holy Qur’an, recognized as the largest Qur’an of its kind in the world.
The manuscript measures 312 cm by 220 cm and comprises 700 pages, earning the museum recognition from Guinness World Records for displaying the world’s largest Qur’an, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The manuscript is a magnified reproduction of a historic Qur’an dating back to the 16th century, the SPA stated.
The original copy measures 45 cm by 30 cm, with the chapters written primarily in Thuluth script, while Surah Al-Fatiha was penned in Naskh, reflecting the refined artistic choices and calligraphic diversity of the era.
The Qur’an is a unique example of Arabic calligraphy, gilding and bookbinding, showcasing Islamic art through intricate decorations, sun-shaped motifs on the opening folio, and elaborately designed frontispiece and title pages that reflect a high level of artistic mastery.
The manuscript was endowed as a waqf in 1883. Its original version is currently preserved at the King Abdulaziz Complex for Endowment Libraries, serving as a lasting testament to Muslims’ enduring reverence for the Qur’an and the richness of Islamic arts across the centuries.
