A piece of art, Entropa, by David Cerny, commissioned by the Czech Republic for display in Brussels, is causing ruptions. Photo here »
A Czech artist behind a mosaic that played with national stereotypes of EU member states admitted yesterday he had deceived the government over the work, commissioned to mark the Czech Republic’s EU presidency.
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The work, formed by geographical shapes of EU states, shows France as being on strike, Romania as a Dracula theme-park and Bulgaria as a rudimentary toilet. Britain is represented by its absence. Ireland is portrayed as a set of hairy uilleann pipes, supposedly made by the artist “John O’Connell”.
The Irish Times: Artist admits he tried to deceive Czech government with EU art commission »
From the Times of London:
True, some of the 27 entries were a little unusual. The eight-tonne work, entitled Entropa, depicted Romania as a Dracula theme park and the Netherlands as completely covered by water, with only the tops of minarets sticking out. The French component had the word “Strike!” emblazoned on it. And was that a hint of a swastika in the German entry, a bird’s-eye view of a series of autobahns?
…journalists were unable to find British artist “Khalid Asadi” to ask him why he chose not to contribute a sculpture – an omission explained in Mr Cerny’s brochure as a statement that Britain did not want to be part of Europe.
Czech sculptor David Cerny admits £350,000 EU art hoax »
David Cerny gives a statement concerning the work on his website,. Even in English, it’s almost unreadable. Clearly a genius.