Prague’s shock artist David Cerny gives Brussels a scare
By Joel Alas, B EAST editor
“Recently, I am planning something quite illegal,” Prague artist David Cerny told B EAST six months ago. Now we know what he was talking about.
Yesterday (Jan 14), Cerny unveiled his newest sculpture – a huge map of Europe, with each nation depicted by not-so-flattering stereotypes. The sculpture was erected in front of the European Council building in Brussels. It was a gift from the Czech Republic to mark the start of the Czech presidency of the EU.
Already, the ambassadors of several nations have filed complaints about the sculpture, which shows Bulgaria as toilets, France as a nation permanently on strike, Germany as autobahns that slightly resemble a swastika, and Romania as a Dracula theme park.
Cerny was commissioned to create the sculpture by the Czech government, who really should have been prepared for a shock. After all, the last EU-related sculpture Cerny created was a statue featuring two men pissing on a map of Czech. He also designed a huge statue of a masturbating man (complete with regular ejaculations of water) to be mounted to the top of the National Theater – though sadly the idea was rejected.
When Cerny started his career, his installations were always illegal, and were usually erected under the cover of night. Now governments ask for his work, a turn of events he describes as “bizarre”.
In our last issue of B EAST, we dared to suggest that Cerny might be losing his edge due to his success. We can admit when we’re wrong. Cerny, you’re clearly still a beast.
By the way, if you like Cerny’s work, you should also pay attention to Peter Fuss, a Polish shock artist who uses a false name to hide from religious fanatics who are angry with his anti-Catholic sculptures. We met Fuss in Wroclaw, where he hung a giant poster predicting Barack Obama’s assassination.
Prague stunt artist David Cerny has shocked the EU with his new sculpture. Pic by Jaroslav Brabec.
Tags: David Cerny, shock art
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