Great big teddy

Amsterdam is such an interesting city. Even the most mundane tasks are fun. Today on my way to pick up a new power cord for my computer, I ran into this great big teddy.

Located in Staalmanpleinbuurt, his name is Beer de Staalman and he is just over 2 years old (installed July 2011). He is more than 10 metres tall and weighs 26 tonnes. The pillow that this tough bear is carrying represents the upheaval of moving due to urban renewal as well as moments of weakness because even tough guys need sleep.

I love the public art in Amsterdam! The Dutch artist of this piece, Florentijn Hofman, is known for large scale sculptures, including a giant floating rubber duck that has travelled the world.