Pissende IJsbeer: Giant urinating polar bear statue moved from Amersfoort to Groningen

The giant statue of a urinating polar bear was placed in Groningen on Friday. "Pissende IJsbeer," the startling statue made by artist Florentijn Hofman, has been seen peeing in a canal in Amersfoort since last summer.

It will now temporarily empty his bladder in a canal opposite the train station in Groningen, which is also near the Groninger Museum. The peeing bear is made as a warning against climate change. The ice in his area had melted, resulting in his visit to the city.

The Groninger Museum also has a giant earthworm made by the same artist, called "Wurm." The bear and the worm are a part of the "Kinderbiënnale- A Better Place," an event organized by the museum. It can be visited from Saturday onwards.

The second edition of the Kinderbiënnale aims to challenge adults and children to interact with art. There are room-filling installations that people can walk up to, enter, play with, and help build. Artists from the Netherlands and abroad provide their artworks meant to make people think about a better world.

Worms have an essential function in nature. The worm in the museum is made of reusable cardboard, especially for the Kinderbiënnale. Visitors can crawl through it.

Amersfoort was chosen as the original spot for the bear to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the DierenPark Amersfoort.