There have been rumors floating around that one of the famous 21C red penguins has gone missing. And is it really all that far fetched? After all, a giant dinosaur was smuggled out of downtown last month and the KY Plate Glass man with the mirror ran off last October. The rumor had all the qualities of a great mystery: local celebrity, high society intrigue, and of course, red penguins. But, alas, there isn’t a penguin-napper to be had in this town.
The penguins, made by the Cracking Art Group, have all been accounted for. The 21C Museum Hotel is home to 40 red penguins, each numbered from a limited edition run of 250. They were originally commissioned as public art for the 2005 Venice Biennale.
The museum believes the rumor may have started due to the fact that these birds get around, despite the fact that they are flightless. The red penguins migrate around the museum and occasionally make it into the Proof bar for photo ops. They even made it out to the Ryder Cup this year. But they always find their way back home. So, in the end, the tale of the penguin-thief is little more than River City lore.
- Cracking Art (Official Site)
- Red Penguins page (21c Museum Hotel)
