Danielle Vaccaro photo: Caitlin Handerhan has a great time bonding with the art on the front lawn of our campus.

There has been a giant diversion from finals studying for some students on our campus. This diversion comes in the form of a rather large, colorful toy duck. The artistic statement is one that certainly has not been seen on Mercyhurst’s campus before this time.

There have been many creative reactions to the duck including professor of Political Science Dr. Brian Ripley.

“The duck is a playful work of post-modern art that also reminds students how big their ‘bill’ will be,” said Ripley. Then there are student opinions such as senior Devon Meddock who played up Mercyhurst’s known image for looking quite a bit like J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series. “It’s professor McGonagall,” Meddock said.

The duck is an eye-popping piece of art out of many in collaboration with the Friends of Mercyhurst art installation. The giant duck could first be seen at the awards pre-party at Erie Insurance for the Pennsylvania Governor’s Arts Awards held recently in Erie. Since that time, the bright yellow, pink and orange piece of art can be viewed freely on the front lawn of our campus.

The artists of the duck are David Seitzinger and Gary Cacchione who are both also showcasing works inside of Old Main as well.

Seitzinger made the mobile overhead piece hanging just out of reach from most students; Cacchione can be recognized for his shelf-looking piece just outside of the president’s office. “They [the artists] love the fact that the students are talking about, taking pictures of, and climbing on the piece,” said Carolin Lynn, adjunct instructor at Mercyhurst.

If anything is definite, it would be that this piece of art should certainly feel at home with all the rain we have been getting.