There is a kinetic sculpture at Charles Square that releases bubbles

invitation to the vernissage; source: artmetal.cz

Prague - At the stroke of midnight on Tuesday, part of Prague's Karlovo náměstí was shrouded in soap bubbles. The artist Vilém Frič placed a kinetic sculpture in the park that releases these fragile bubbles at regular intervals. The so-called Bubble machine will be in the park until autumn.
    "The Bubble machine was created to enliven the busy and often unfriendly environment of Karlovo náměstí. People usually pass by without giving it the slightest attention. However, some people are already reportedly getting off trams to take a closer look at the 'disrupter'," said the author of the object, Vilém Frič, to the Czech News Agency.
    A part of this unique sculpture is a timer that releases large or small bubbles at approximately hourly intervals. It begins around six in the morning, and the last bubbles can be seen by passersby at midnight.
    Frič worked on the Bubble machine for several months. He received assistance in realizing the sculpture not only from Czech bubble blower Matěj Kodeš but also from experts in solar panels. The over five-meter tall kinetic steel sculpture, which weighs about 300 kilograms, is powered by a photovoltaic cell. The soap bubbles are made from a special eco-friendly mixture.
    "By breaking people out of their daily stereotypes, I want to awaken their minds and provoke them with my work to reflect or feel apathy, where apathy becomes a reaction, and indifference becomes an opinion," stated Frič. In addition to enthusiasm and indifference, he also anticipates possible vandalism. "The fact that someone might damage the sculpture is not, in my opinion, a reason not to display it. One cannot be intimidated by vandalism in every project," added Frič, noting that the object is at least monitored by a camera system.
    The soap bubbles will hover in the square for the next three months. The author himself would prefer to leave the sculpture in the location permanently. "I can hardly imagine it being anywhere else. It was created for a specific place, which has a certain urban character and atmosphere. If it were to remain in place, the liquid would only need to be replenished every six months. Otherwise, the sculpture is completely autonomous," the author explained.
    The 29-year-old Frič studied at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Prague, where he focused on scenography. He later graduated from the Academy of Art, Architecture and Design. He has created, for example, collections of jewelry made from coal with diamonds and other unconventional objects.