Czechs "sweeten" Europe with a giant sculpture caricaturing individual EU countries

Brussels/Prague - Austria, more than half of which is covered by huge cooling towers of nuclear power plants. Submerged Holland, from which only minarets are visible. The Czech Republic, through which the statements of President Václav Klaus flow on a digital display. All these and many other clichés prevailing about European countries, embodied in a giant plastic installation titled Entropa, as a presentation of the Czech presidency, gaze down upon visitors of the Brussels building of the EU Council from today. A building that is primarily known to the wider public as the venue for the summits of the community.
According to some voices, however, the installation may evoke mixed reactions in Europe; for example, there have been voices saying that the highways depicted in the part representing Germany resemble a swastika.
"The sculpture may provoke controversy, which is common in art," Vice Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra told ČTK in a text message. "I saw the depiction of Germany; I understand it as a symbol that the country is crisscrossed by highways and intersections, on which a large number of cars often drive - often without restrictions. I see nothing else there," he said.
The first viewers, however, were definitely not offended by the artistic project, even though not everyone liked the installation. "I think it's great. Although it is clear that it can provoke various controversies. But that's not a bad thing," says Irish council employee Therese about the gigantic euro puzzle, whose spiritual father is Czech artist David Černý. "It's great, I think it represents (individual countries)," comments the artwork Italian council employee Silvio.
"I don't like it at all," is heard as a counter-comment from a group of Portuguese-speaking onlookers. "You have a sense of humor," adds a Bulgarian employee of one of the European institutions when looking at the sculpture of Bulgaria with a large Turkish toilet.
And what does the author David Černý think? "To Europe and its thinking belongs self-reflection, a critical spirit, and the ability to perceive oneself and the surrounding world with a sense of irony," says Černý. Vice Prime Minister Vondra thinks so too. "I have faith in the open minds of Europeans and their ability to appreciate such a project," stated Vondra, according to whom the installation goes hand in hand with the motto of the Czech presidency, Europe without barriers. "Sculpture and art in general can speak when words fail. In line with the motto of the Czech presidency Europe without barriers, we have given 27 artists the opportunity for free expression as proof that there is no place for censorship in today's Europe," Vondra added.
Parts of the giant puzzle in the form of 27 EU countries, which play with established European clichés, were designed by artists from the individual countries of the 27-member bloc according to the promotional material of the installation. "The Czech Republic" was created by David Černý, Germany crisscrossed by highways by German Helmut Bauer, and France with the inscription "We are on strike!" by a group of French artists GRAA. Greece scorched by wildfires was created by Greek Angelo Navridis, or the sculpture with Lithuania, on which several peeing little boys seem to be urinating towards Russia, was made by Lithuanian artist Vilma Stasiulyte.
"Let’s give the floor to the head of state! Genius samples of Czech President Václav Klaus in a permanent flow. His amazing insightful comments on the whole world and especially the EU whizzing by on a three-line alphanumeric display," comments the official manual for Entropa about the Czech "Klausian" sculpture by its author David Černý. The work, in which the head of the Czech state plays a role, is not to be commented on by the presidential office. "We will not comment on that," said the spokesman for the Castle Radim Ochvat today to ČTK.
Today's unofficial unveiling of the project, however, is not yet the final cherry on the cake. On Thursday, when the project will be officially presented, the performance will begin to play and light up: Klaus's statements will finally start to travel through the Czech Republic, the Dracula castle in Romania will start to blink - Entropa, whose name likely evokes a magnitude describing the degree of disorder, will come to life. It is therefore possible that condemnatory judgments of the work, which have yet to be addressed today, will also come into play.
The installation, which according to LN cost 12 million CZK and is reportedly partly funded by entrepreneur Zdeněk Bakala next to the Czech state, will remain in the building of the EU Council until the end of the Czech presidency in June.