Prague is well-known for its ancient history and art but one of its brilliant living artists, David Černý, leaves his imprint across the city with his witty and often controvertial, sculptures. Born in Prague in December 1967, he proclaims that art is not a “chair’’ but should be provocative and have a deeper message.

Something I always return to is the horse sculpture hanging in the central atrium of Lucerna Palace, close to Wenceslas Square in Prague. Černý’s 1999 “Horse” depicts Saint Wenceslas (Václav) on an upside-down dead horse.  This is an ironic twist referring to the legendary Czech patron saint who was assassinated in 935. The heroic Saint Wenceslas sits proudly, upright on his horse in the statue on Wenceslas Square, just around the corner from the Černý creation. It caused an uproar locally, as it was seen by many as being disrespectful and poking fun at a rather saintly part of Czech heritage!

Žižkov TV Tower with Babies crawling up

Looking across Prague from any vantage point, one of the most visible installations is the alien-looking creatures called the “Tower Babies”, made from black fiberglass, which is crawling up the sides of the Žižkov TV Tower. The tower came about in 2000 when Prague was a Cultural Capital of Europe and the artist was asked to create a temporary project in celebration of the occasion. These mutant creatures were first exhibited in 1994 at the Chicago Museum of Modern Art and in various other locations, they came back ‘’home’’ and were so much loved by the public that they remain in perpetuity, crawling up – and giving character to the rather ugly tower jutting a hundred meters or so into the Prague skyline.

Bronze Babies in Kampa Park

Walking through Kampa Park on the bank of the Vltava river, three similar, giant bronze babies are crawling next to the Museum Kampa entrance. At closer inspection they have imploded slot-machine –like faces and their cuddly bottoms are polished by thousands of tousists’ caressing and climbing over them.

A piece that never ceases to entertain, creating much hilarity amongst tourists and passers-by, is the two naked, bronze male sculptures peeing into a pool of water, shaped like the Czech Republic, near the entrance to the Kafka Museum in Hergetova Cihelna. They constantly swivel the upper part of their bodies, while the penis goes up and down, writing quotes by famous Prague residents in the water with their pee. Next to the statue is a number that will accept SMS messages which the two pissing men will then spell in the water, later reverting to their normal sequence.

Taking the Piss

Another View

They constantly swivel the upper part of their bodies, while the penis goes up and down, writing quotes by famous Prague residents in the water with their pee. Next to the statue is a number that will accept SMS messages which the two pissing men will then spell in the water, later reverting to their normal sequence.

Futura, is a contemporary, free art space at Holeckova 49 in Smichov, which hosts the permanent  Černý  installation called, “Brownnosers”. It is a rabbit warren of passages with some interesting exhibits, but walk to the tiny garden at the back. There two giant, well-shaped pairs of legs are bent over with their bodies moulded into the wall, dominating  the small enclosed space, but strangely at home next to the organic shapes of the large trees and other plants.

A ladder encourages viewers to climb up to stare into the fibreglass arse.  Inside is a video of the artist’s  favourite adversary President Klaus and the Head of the National Gallery spoon-feeding each other something indescribable to the heroic soundtrack of Queen’s “We Are The Champions”.  This displays Černý’s well-known displeasure with what he considers to be the bungling, money-grabbing politicians running the democracy after the Velvet Revolution, thereby not improving the lives of ordinary Czech people. (Image credit: davidcerny.cz)

Hanging Man, Prague

In the late 90’s he created Sigmund Freud as the “Hanging Man”, hanging for dear life onto a protruding roof truss. This ambiguous statement could refer to man’s helplessness against modern society and just hanging on in dispare –  or it could refer to a ”just in time” rescue attempt with the possibility of clawing a way back onto the relative safety of the roof– who knows?  Displayed in cities around the world, it had the rescue squads out on occasion!

The few pieces discussed here represents some of this talented artist’s work with many more hiding around the corner in unexpected places and stances. They add spice and thought to the magic that is Prague. Do search them out!

Charles Bridge and a lonely Swan from Kampa Park