In Brno, a new bust of the poet Skácel stands

photo: www.brno.cz

Brno - On the southern slope of the Brno castle Špilberk, passersby can view a bust of the poet Jan Skácel in an unusual size. Today, it was ceremoniously unveiled by city representatives together with the sculptor Jiří Sobotka. Welded stainless steel tubes form the poet's head with a characteristic profile. Brno paid 2.6 million crowns for it.

The portrait of the poet consists of 4500 seamless tubes made of brushed stainless steel. They are welded into the shape of a head, which sits on a limestone base. In addition to the words silence, landscape, death, and childhood, a QR code is also placed on it, linking to a website where interested parties can read information about the life and work of the Brno poet.

The location where the statue will stand was designated by the city. Through the gaps between the tubes, one can look at Brno.

"I wanted the face of the poet to look at the city and for the viewers to perceive Brno through him. I am glad that I could create a statue of a person I value so much," Jiří Sobotka told journalists.

Skácel is also commemorated by a fountain in Brno's Náměstí Svobody. His verses are inscribed on it. The poet, who had a strong connection to Moravia, was born in Vnorovy but spent most of his life in Brno. A street in the Brno district of Královo Pole is also named after Skácel. The poet has an honorary grave designed by architect Ivan Ruller at the Central Cemetery.

The new work at Špilberk is part of the project Sculptures for Brno, which has created a stylized statue of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at Zelny Trh and a sculpture reminiscent of Thomas Alva Edison at Malinovského náměstí. The project has also brought Brno a statue at the honorary urn burial site of the Central Cemetery by Václav Fiala.