Sculpture Kaburek

Urban sculpture is an integral part of any big city. In Prague, it is very different: from monumental monuments to funny small sculptures. One of the latest is the sculpture of Kaburek, the Czech merman on the island of Kampa.

In the legends of old Prague, Kaburek has a special place. It differs from, for example, the Russian merman, who, as the master of the waters, rarely appeared on land and often dragged someone to his underwater kingdom for his own entertainment. Kaburek - good water. More than anything, he loves beer and beautiful girls, and prefers bottled.

The legend tells that in life the water man was an ordinary citizen. Like all working people, Kaburek liked to skip a mug or two of beer in the evening after a hard day's work. Returning home, he fell into the waters of the Devil and drowned. Since then, peacefully wandering around Kampa devilry, enters Prague pubs and spends time among the townspeople.

In his free time from visiting pubs, Kaburek collects the souls of drowned people in clay pots at the bottom in his dwelling. By the way, the potter, from whom Kaburek takes pots, also enjoyed good fame.

Kaburek loves good beer, and if he often appears in a pub, then this is a great honor for the owner: Kaburek will not go to a bad establishment. In order for the waterman to feel comfortable in the establishment, the owner put a tub of water in the corner: Kaburek always had to have legs and coat floors in the water.

The gifts of civilization and technological progress frightened him away. As soon as gramophones began to appear in Prague pubs, then music centers or, even worse, televisions, Kaburek stopped appearing here. Sometimes a man in a wet frock coat wanders around Campe, asks passers-by for a bottle of beer and gives them fresh fish in gratitude.

Sculptor Josef Nalepa decided to capture a funny inhabitant of the island and sculpted a statue of Kaburek. He sits on the wheel of an old mill in the pose of a thinker, smokes a pipe, carefully and thoughtfully looks at the water, and maybe into eternity. Such a water-philosopher, humanly understandable, with his passions and weaknesses, in a word, with a soul.

The statue of the merman on Kampa is located near the bridge of the Lovers. Locks have recently appeared on the bridge: every couple in love considers it their duty to consolidate their union in this way. Because of this, Kaburek's sculpture is often not visible. Just looking closer, you can see a little man in a hat and a green frock coat, who sat down next to the river to reflect on the meaning of human life.

Sculpture "Cloak of conscience" or "Empty cloak"

At the entrance to the old Prague Estates Theater, an unusual gatekeeper awaits guests. A figure wrapped in a cloak sits on a pedestal. But these are not the tricks of street performers at all! If you look closely, goosebumps will crawl up your back - there is no one under the bronze folds of the cloak ...

The plate under the sculpture explains: the statue depicts the ghostly Commander, the character of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. The premiere of the musical masterpiece took place in 1787 in this theater, and the author personally conducted the orchestra. Nowadays, this is the only theater that has survived in its original form, the walls of which have seen the great Austrian composer. It was rumored that Mozart consulted in Prague with the legendary heartthrob Giacomo Casanova, who became the prototype of Don Giovanni.

The famous drama, the outset of which was the duel of a dissolute rake and a Seville nobleman, inspired more than one generation of cultural figures and is known to us, first of all, from the play by A. S. Pushkin "The Stone Guest". The father, seeking to protect the honor of his daughter from desecration, fell victim to Don Juan, but returned from the other world in the form of a tomb statue to take revenge on the killer. The rebellious disembodied spirit of the Commander, who actively intervened in the affairs of mortals, became a source of inspiration for the Czech sculptor Anna Chromy, the author of the statue near the Estates Theater.

The author's intention is much broader and is not limited to the spirit of revenge. From her youth, fond of the work of the surrealists, Anna Chromy developed the whole concept of the Cloaks of Conscience. She interprets the emptiness framed by a cloak as non-material traces that remain in our world after a person has left. They can be love, creative heritage, vindictiveness, resentment... They do not exist materially, as evidenced by the emptiness under the cloak, but their impulses continue to transform reality, giving it shape, like folds of fabric over the spiritual essence of the Commander.

The creative idea was embodied in a cycle of identical marble sculptures near the Salzburg Cathedral, in front of the Estates Theater in Prague, in front of the medieval church of St. Severin on the Friesian island of Sylt, in the Royal Palace of the Princes of Monaco and near the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, where an exhibition of Chromy's work was held in 2007.

The project lasted from 2005 to 2011 and aroused great interest among both ordinary people and celebrities. Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, singer Andrea Bocelli, families of Italian businessmen Ferrero and Ferragamo bought personal copies of the Cloak.

In 2010, Chromie created the commemorative collection "Cloak for the World" with statues painted in the heraldic colors of 200 countries. According to the idea of ​​​​the author, under the cloak turned out to be elusive national mentality of each people and friendly feelings that unite them into humanity.

Thus, everyone is free to fill the contents of the cloak with any emotions, which makes this sculpture a universal display of the boundless human soul.

Sculpture "Babies" in Prague

In 2000, a sculptural composition of huge (about 3.5 meters long) faceless babies was placed on the Zizkov TV Tower in Prague, crawling on high altitude up and down the walls of this building. The appearance of these alien babies on the boring TV tower, which is reminiscent of the city's communist past, has turned it into one of Prague's most famous and popular tourist attractions.

In the winter of 2000 - 2001, the city authorities decided to dismantle the figures of the kids, since their fasteners were not designed for the additional mass of snow. But local residents have already fallen in love with the building of the TV tower in its new updated look, and therefore stood up for the sculpture. The city administration went to meet the townspeople and, after improving the system of fasteners, the "Babies" returned to their place again. The sculptor very carefully chose the location of each of his "wards", but still remains dissatisfied with the location of one of them.

Giant babies were conceived by David Cherny back in 1994, when he lived in New York. Initially, the composition of the sculptures was intended for the museum contemporary art in Chicago. But this museum could not find money for the installation, and therefore the figures wandered around various exhibitions for several years.

Babies in Campa Park

In 2008, three more giant black babies with barcodes instead of faces "settled" in Kampa Park near the museum. The sculptures are cast in bronze, each, like its "Zhizhkov brother", is 3.5 meters long and about 2.5 meters high. The weight of each baby is 100 kg. The sculptural composition "Babies" is very popular with tourists and is one of the most significant installations in the open part of the museum in Kampe.

Here, everyone can take a closer look at them, take pictures and even climb on famous babies.

All sculptural compositions of David Cherny have a hidden meaning. So are Babies. Toddlers without faces protest the sculptor against abortion.

Sculpture "Hanging Man" in Prague

A passer-by on Gusovaya Street may have a heart skip a beat: a man is dangling on a steel mast sticking out from the roof of one of the houses! Who is this? A hangman-suicide or a person in trouble?! It also happens that excited tourists call the police or firefighters. Well, the sculptor provocateur David Cerný, who hung a sculpture of a man holding a beam on a Prague street in 1997, was counting on such attention to his brainchild. The work was timed to coincide with the exhibition "Respect 97".

The unique sculpture, 220 cm high, is one of the many creations of the world famous Czech sculptor in Prague. Invariably shocking and often annoying fellow citizens with his works, Cherny nevertheless earned international recognition. The sculpture of the “hanging man” (“Viselec”) traveled the world and was “posted” in the Czech cultural center to Berlin, to National theater and at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London and many others. At an exhibition in Chicago in 2007, there was even an incident with the police, who came to “rescue” a potential suicide.

But was the "hanging man" created just for the purpose of causing fear? Some Czech inhabitants, and other representatives of the former Eastern Bloc, find a portrait resemblance of the sculpture to Vladimir Lenin and see in the work a political satire on the communist paradise that has ordered a long life. However, the sculptor himself claims that the figure personifies the Austrian father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. Clutching with one hand to the saving beam, the professor, as it were, hovered over the abyss of the Unconscious, into which he was one of the first to look at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Continuing the game with the public, Cherny offers another, more scandalous interpretation: the sculpture symbolizes the isolation of the intelligentsia from the common people, who are alien to the jungle of psychoanalysis. The provocation was a success: interest in the work does not fade away, and the proposed interpretations allow modern psychoanalysts to look into the hidden corners of the minds of interpreters.

Sculpture "Inverted Horse"

What kind of epithets do well-wishers call the sculpture “Inverted Horse” and its author David Cherny. One thing is certain: this masterpiece was created by a truly unique sculptor, in whose works subtle humor, political and social satire, provocativeness and remarkable talent are surprisingly intertwined.

The Inverted Horse is a parodic copy of the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas, one of the most revered saints in the Czech Republic.

In 1999, a new Wenceslas, executed by David the Black, was installed on Wenceslas Square: a sculptural saint, imperturbably sitting on an inverted, dead horse suspended by its legs, with a tongue hanging from its mouth.

Initially, it was supposed to install the work in the main building of the Czech post office, but the management rejected this option and the sculpture was placed on the opposite side of the square, at its lower end, opposite its prototype. After a short period of time, the monument was moved to the Lucerne shopping arcade, on Vodichkova Street.

The mistress of the Lucerne Palace proposed the option of installing the "Horse" under the dome of the arcade gallery. And up to today a huge figure of a horse turned upside down and suspended by its legs - the height of the monument is about 5 meters, and the length is about 3 - hanging from under the dome of the shopping center.

Interestingly, the tongue hanging from the mouth of a dead horse constantly changes color. What is it connected with? It often has to be restored, because with an enviable frequency the horse is left without a tongue.

It happens that local youth are hooligans, showing off a torn off piece to their peers - this is considered a kind of feat among the youth, it happens that tourists steal a piece of a unique work as a keepsake, and it is very difficult to pick up material for a new language by color.

Tour guides like to bring tourists to the mall and talk about the upside down horse and occasional tongue abductions.

Sculpture "Chair on the Vlatva"

The sculpture "Chair on the Vlatva" is part of the exposition of the Museum of Modern Art, located on the island of Kampa. The sculpture is a really huge chair with a bent leg. By the way, the ideological concept of the sculptor is still not known. There is a lot of controversy and a lot of speculation about this, everyone can put forward their own version, no matter how crazy it may seem.

In the 1980s, Czech sculptor Magdalena Etelova created a four-meter chair sculpture. Only in 2002 she saw the light and was presented to the public. The sculpture was installed on the sluice of the Vlatva River. However, she did not stand for long, during the flood in June, the waves of the river washed away the two-ton chair from the pedestal. The sculpture was found more than 40 km down the river. The giant chair was completely destroyed by water. The sculpture was not subject to restoration.

The city did not soon recover from this major flood. But the locals managed to fall in love with this a little strange sculpture. They identify it with the Kampa Museum, consider this chair a symbol of modern art. Therefore, in 2003, enthusiastic students of the Visual and Industrial School built a modern version, an exact copy of the destroyed sculpture. The modern art object was named "The Return of the Chair - 2". The sculpture was installed in its original place, so that it still points the way to the museum, being a kind of beacon of the institution.

The modern chair has grown somewhat, its height was 6 meters. And since the sculpture now weighs 8 tons, instead of 2, then the rise of water is no longer afraid of it. The new chair will be able to withstand a flood of any strength.

The sculpture "Chair on the Vlatva" organically fits into the surrounding landscape, worthily standing out against the background of other art objects of the museum's exposition.

Sculpture Swallow

One of the many complexes of ancient buildings in Prague, Clementinum, became the real parent of a small but very interesting modern monument - the sculpture "Vlaštovka - Vlashtovka (Swallow)" by Magdalena Poplavskaya.

This sculpture has a simple yet touching story. Everything happened as if in some strange fairy tale.

In one of the oldest and most beautiful castles, Clementinum, an exhibition was once held theses students of one of the artistic and industrial schools in Prague. It featured many works by young artists, among which was a plastic sculpture created by an ordinary girl named Magdalena Poplavska. It was a statue of a seated little girl holding a figurine made of paper. Each of the visitors saw in her hands either an airplane, or a crane, or a swallow.

At the end of the exposition, all the students took away their works, and for some reason the girl remained forgotten. After the closing of the exhibition, by a strange coincidence, she took root in the castle for many years. Then someone put a plastic girl on the roof of one of the buildings of the Clementinum complex, and she, dangling her legs, sits on that building until now and seems to be watching passers-by, intending to throw a paper figure at them.

There is another version further development events: people say that the mistress of this work returned and took the girl away, but by that time the citizens of Prague were so fond of the sculpture that they unanimously demanded to return it, and the girl again came to the "father's house" of Clementinum.

Tourists who look at the girl sitting on the roof often confuse the figurine with a real child. You can often hear exclamations and reflections about how a child could get to such a height, and sometimes there are serious unrest about this.

No one understood exactly what kind of figurine is in the hands of the child. Until now, everyone calls it differently: an airplane, a swallow or a crane. Later, the locals of Prague decided and affectionately called the sculpture "Swallow". Maybe because it was her that the paper figure most of all reminded them of, but the reason could well be the fact that the girl herself, fearlessly located at a height of more than 4 meters, is associated among the townspeople with this brave bird.

"Harmony or Sculpture of the Prayer"

Located in Prague, on the banks of the Vltava River.

It was erected in honor of the famous Indian humanist philosopher, preacher, artist, poet and writer Sri Chinmoy.

At the age of 12, Sri Chinmoy joined the spiritual community of Sri Aurobindo. From that moment on, his whole life was devoted to the study of the hidden divine powers in order to reveal the inner energy and knowledge of man and make him better. With his followers, he came to many countries, repeatedly visited Prague.

Sri Chinmoy passed away in 2007. Two years later, in many cities of the world, including the capital of the Czech Republic, monuments appeared as a tribute to the memory and respect for his bright teachings.

He was a friend and student of Sri Chinmoy. In his interviews, he always emphasized that the support of his spiritual teacher helped him become a sculptor.

Inspired by the ideas and philosophical teachings of a man, a mantra, whose mind and heart were dedicated to Peace and Universal Harmony, in 2009 Kaivalya created a monument in his honor.

The man-made work, created by man, without deliberate effect, simply and naturally fit into the natural environment, nestled among the calm surface of the river, sky and trees.

The male figure of a man depicted in full height and dressed in traditional Indian clothes, captured at the moment of meditation. The good-looking face of the preacher is not only stern, but also kind. His posture is calm and solemn. And the hands folded in a prayerful gesture - as a sign of belonging to the Supreme Mind, which gives all living things the meaning of existence.

In 2013, there was a flood in Prague, the sculpture looked very impressive, judge for yourself.

Believing that it was spirituality and not politics that would bring harmony to the world, Sri Chinmoy wrote one and a half thousand books. He created music for meditation, paintings and songs. Developed a unique program - "Raising the World with the Heart of Unity". Its purpose is to celebrate the outstanding achievements of people in any field of activity, thereby inspiring them and making humanity more grateful and perfect.

Hundreds of people come to Sri Chinmoy's monument every day.

In an era when the world has lost its stability, and art has lost its ideals, the figure of the Prayer appears as a symbol of time, lurking hope and instilling faith in Goodness and Reason.

The sculpture of a praying man is located between the Charles Bridge and the Legia Bridge right next to the Kampa Museum.

Sculpture of Franz Kafka

A sculpture of Franz Kafka stands near the Quadrio shopping center above the metro station called Národní třída.

During the construction of the statue, it was taken into account that it would work smoothly in normal weather in Prague. In severe frost or snowfall, a special “wrap” is put on the statue.

From the very beginning, it was assumed that the square would be a work of art. Investors contacted David Cherny, who had three different proposals, after which the choice was made in favor of this sculpture.

The monument to Franz Kafka is made in the form of a giant stainless steel head, 10 meters high and weighing 45 tons. It consists of 42 discs rotating in different directions (the discs themselves weigh 38 tons, and the rest of the weight falls on 1 kilometer of electrical wires). The disks have the ability to transform into a portrait of Franz Kafka for a few seconds, and then hide it, turning into a mirror, which can be seen reflecting nearby buildings. Small mirrors are located at the bottom of the sculpture, which perform the same function - to display the surroundings of the sculpture. Max Speed the rotation of each disk is 6 revolutions per minute, the rotation speed is remotely controlled (they say that David Cherny himself controls the sculpture).

Such an unusual mirror sculpture of Franz Kafka in Prague cost the municipality 30 million crowns.

David Cherny explained his concept as follows: "Kafka's work had a great influence on Prague and, therefore, the shopping center and the center of Prague belong to the head."

Franz Kafka is a well-known Czech satirist throughout the world. Perhaps the sculptor wanted to show with his work the diversity and versatility of the writer.

Sculpture Three witches ”flying”

One of the most famous and mystical sculptures in the capital of the Czech Republic is the park sculpture of three witches - "flight", located in the Franciscan Garden, not far from the Catholic church. The pedestal of the three flying witches is an example of classical French park architecture. It was fulfilled famous sculptor ohm and architect Josef Klimesh.

The sculpture represents three stone young ladies spreading their arms and rushing after each other in the ritual dance of the Sabbat. The fact that the sculptural witches are dancing is indicated by their flying clothes and hair removed from their faces. Flying witches adorn the pedestal of a small drinking fountain.

The prototype of the sculpture of three witches is flying evil sorceresses, which, according to legend, were seen in this area about 100 years ago.

The sculptural composition of three witches - "flying" - is unusual in its execution. Unlike other stone statues of a mystical theme, it does not inherit the Gothic style and does not seek to emphasize outward ugliness and horror. The images of the flying witches, although not very detailed, are nevertheless peaceful enough. At first glance, they are completely faceless, devoid of character and similar to each other. However, if you look closely, the facial expression of each of the three witches expresses a certain emotion.

It is noteworthy that the sculptures with a human face do not have eyes. But on the other hand, their faces are decorated with light smiles, with which the sculptor probably wanted to emphasize the irony of finding such a sculpture in such a religious place, as well as the vain superstitions of tourists.

On the back side, all three stone figures are hollow. With the help of this technique, the author of the sculptural composition got rid of monumentality. In addition, the play of light and shadow on the stone adds expressiveness to the sculpture and thus compensates for the lack of elaborate forms and facial features of the figures.

In Prague, the sculpture is very popular, because on the night of April 30 to May 1, the capital of the Czech Republic celebrates Walpurgis Night, the celebration program of which includes a visit to the fountain of three witches - “flying”.

Sculpture "Toady"

One of the most provocative sculptures of David Cherny. Satire, wit and outright evil humor, expressed in sculpture, splash over the edge, exposing and ridiculing sycophancy as a human vice.

Ironically on the theme of servility and groveling of one person before another, David Cherny in 2003 presented to the viewers 2 white figures of five-meter naked headless men resting their hands against a concrete wall. Men leaned to the ground at an angle of 90º and show the world the most impartial parts of their bodies, which are clearly not intended for kisses.

In such a provocative way, David Cherny most accurately conveys the essence of sycophancy, directly indicating how exactly it is expressed in relationships between people. The absence of heads from the statues "softly hints" at the stupidity and mental narrow-mindedness of sycophants and those who succumb to their flattery.

It is noteworthy that the headlessness of the figures speaks not only of the “lack of brains”, but, consequently, of low intellectual development, but also about the absence of a face. It would seem an obvious thing - no head, no face. But here, too, Cherny's subtle irony can be traced: a toady is faceless, he loses his face, destroys himself as a person.

The way of expressing thought seems to be intended to arouse observers' disgust for vice and people suffering from it, because the sycophancy depicted by the sculptor is perceived as something dirty and humiliating.

However, the author's satire and "sculptural slander" are not limited to monumental expression of thought. In his work, in addition to ridiculing spiritual vices, David Cherny also concluded with poisonous political irony. You can get acquainted with its content by climbing a specially installed iron staircase and looking into the exaggerated anus of the statues, as if into a cesspool of political life.

The attention of a person climbing the stairs is presented with a non-stop repeated video with Vaclav Klaus, the former president of the Czech Republic, and Milan Knizak, the famous Czech artist, sculptor, musician and dissident. The plot of the video is simple and at the same time eater: Milan Knizek with special zeal and diligence feeds Vaclav Klaus with porridge flowing down the chin of the former Czech President and dripping onto the table, and all this under the famous Queen track “We are the champions”.

If you delve into history, the following fact becomes obvious. During his life, David Cherny repeatedly criticized Vaclav Klaus, who served as prime minister of the Czech Republic in the period 1993-1997, and later in 2003 was elected president of the country. It was in 2003 that Cherny created the sculpture “Toadying”. Is it a coincidence?

The "Monument to Toadying" is installed in the real center of contemporary art in the Czech Republic - the Futura Gallery. The gallery, as well as the sculptures kept in its bosom, differs sharply from their own kind: Futura is a restored factory that has retained the spirit of the industrial past.

Sculpture "The Parable of the Skull"

On the Golden Lane, on the territory Prague Castle, there is a rather unusual, cast in bronze, sculpture, the name of which is very philosophical - “The Parable of the Skull”. Although the people of Prague believe that the name "Death rapes life" is more suitable for her.

The sculpture represents a man who is in a humble knee-elbow position, with a huge skull on his back. No less interesting is the sculpture in the back, here you can see male dignity polished to a shine by tourists, most likely for good luck. The weight of this sculptural composition exceeds 500 kg.

The installation was made by the famous Prague avant-garde sculptor Jaroslav Rona in 1993. He spent more than 250 thousand crowns (approximately 8,500 euros) on its creation. Master received world recognition thanks to its really unique work Monument to Franz Kafka. He is an artist, sculptor and graphic artist, the author of amazing sketches for the film Franz Kafka's America, and he is also a regular screenwriter at the Sklep Theatre.

Everyone who sees this sculpture has conflicting feelings. A huge skull, overwhelming a faceless person with its mass, makes you think about, probably, the most important thing - what is death. The "Parable of the Skull" once again reminds us that nothing lasts forever, and everything eventually comes to an end. The sculpture shows how helpless a person is before death. Some Praguers also consider the sculptural composition a monument to the prisoners of the ancient Dalibork prison, who once died within its walls. That is, the main idea of ​​this masterpiece, cast in bronze, is a reminder of death. Although a certain oppression from what he saw is concealed by the tradition invented by tourists, to rub man's virtues for happiness.

Yaroslav Ron himself declares that this sculptural composition, like many of his other works, is dedicated to Franz Kafka, or, to be more precise, to his works. The installation very accurately embodies the features and character of the characters in his works. Kafka's literary writings are permeated with absurdity and fear of the hostile outside world, the highest authorities, who aroused corresponding disturbing feelings in their readers. Today, everyone who sees the sculpture "The Parable of the Skull" experiences a similar range of feelings. The location of the sculpture is not accidental. After all, Franz Kafka once lived in one of these houses on Golden Lane.

Monument to Franz Kafka in Prague

One of the Prague monuments to the outstanding writer of the 20th century, the singer of the absurd Franz Kafka, is located near the place of his birth, between the Prague Jewish Museum and the Church of the Holy Spirit. At the end of the 19th century, there was a gate between the outcast area - the Jewish Josef quarter - and Christian Prague. Gloomy mystical legends that hovered around the Jewish ghetto found an echo in the phantasmagoric world of Kafkaesque works, which, in turn, serves as a source of inspiration for the artists of the present.

The sculptural composition, created by Jaroslav Rona (Jaroslav Róna) in 2003, is often included in the top ten most unusual monuments in the world. Kafka sits on the shoulders of an empty suit walking down the street ankle-deep in the pavement. The writer gestures the direction to his porter. Kafka was an eternal wanderer in his hometown: he wrote in German, since the Czech Republic was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, changed 13 rented apartments, did not receive recognition during his lifetime ... One can only guess if he knew for sure where he was going.

One of the versions goes back to Kafka's story "The Story of a Struggle", whose hero became jealous of a random fellow traveler and climbed on his shoulders to see the world through the eyes of others. Finding himself in a "foreign skin", the hero of the short story got rid of envy for the stranger, because everyone has his own pain...

Another suggestion is connected with the Prague myths about the Golem - a clay doll that Rabbi Levi magically revived and made his servant. Under the influence of the irrational metaphysical heritage of Kafka, many humanists were. It had a huge impact on European literature and philosophical thought, gradually “guiding” them.

The statue can also be perceived as a call to rise above one's own pettiness and narrow-mindedness. After all, a person is often chained in his habits, like in a suit, and inadequately assesses what is happening around. Moreover, the external manifestation must obey the internal, that is, a person must be able to manage his image, tell him where to follow. Only then will he find true freedom.

Some see the sculpture of the Rhone as a social satire on a faceless bureaucracy in which officials are equivalent to their functions. Here it is not out of place to recall the brilliant novel "The Master and Margarita", in which an empty suit does an excellent job with official duties.

Such an abundance of interpretations is quite in the spirit of the writer's books, which draw in like a whirlpool, but at the same time avoid direct answers to emerging questions.

Sculpture London Booster

The famous Czech sculptor David Cherny has long been known throughout the world for his unusual creations. In them, the author shows world realities in a humorous, even slightly satirical light. And so, in 2012, the world saw a new masterpiece of the famous Czech - the London Booster sculpture.

This work of art is located in the home of the sculptor, in Prague, anyone can look at it. It is enough to visit the Chodov shopping center, next to which this creation is located on one of the playgrounds. It is a well-known London double-decker bus with buttocks, which is wrung out from the floor on two giant arms. These hands are made from scraps metal pipes, and inside the "sportsman" is hidden an electric motor that sets the entire structure in motion. The mechanism is equipped with powerful hydraulics, allowing you to lift the bus to a great height. The author left the traditional red color to the vehicle, but slightly re-equipped the interior, and equipped the windows with screens on which videos are broadcast. The audience also says that when performing exercises, the “athlete” convincingly grunts and sighs, which makes him even more naturalistic. You can look at this miracle every day from 15.00 to 15.30. The only condition under which an athlete does not work is bad weather (heavy rain or snowfall).

Why the bus? And why did the master create a gigantic athlete out of him? As David himself explains, such buses are the hallmark of the city. The very opening of the installation was timed to the Olympics in London, where, in fact, the sculpture was located throughout the Olympics. The sculptor probably wanted to create a symbol for all athletes.

As for the type of exercises, the author of the sculpture also has his own explanations. As Cerny says, push-ups are the exercises that are mandatory in the training program of any athlete. Moreover, it does not depend on the sport, weight category or gender. In addition, push-ups are a way to improve discipline in the army, correctional camps and prisons.

The theme of cars in the work of David is quite common. Previously, he created sculptures in the form of a car on four human legs and a car on the facade of the Prague Gallery. And the London Booster installation continues to amaze thousands of tourists and still preserves the memory of the Olympics. The creator hoped that the mechanism would remain stable, at least until the end. Olympic Games, but the sports bus has exceeded all expectations and still works great.

Every day from 15:00 to 15:30, the bus is set in motion, which makes the children absolutely delighted.

Sculpture "Embryo"

In Prague, on the corner of an unremarkable building, something attracts the attention of absolutely all passers-by. This something is a sculptural composition by the infamous Czech sculptor David Cerny, whose name is "Embryo". The building whose drain pipe served as the umbilical cord of this amazing installation is the Na Zabradli Theatre.

David Cerny created a sculpture resembling a human fetus back in 1996. For its manufacture, he used three materials - metal, epoxy and plastic. Inside the installation, the sculptor introduced conventional LEDs. The height of the embryo is 120 cm.

The appearance of the "Embryo" on the drain pipe was timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Prague theater Na Zabradli, and it turned 50 years old. This is how David Cerny decided to congratulate the theater team. The embryo was located on the corner of the facade of the house, clinging to the drainpipe, like an alien creature from a science fiction film, and this happened on December 9, 2008. David Cerny carried out the production and placement of the installation at his own expense. like this unusual gift received the theater for his "birthday".
Embryo 2

Despite the fact that this is absolutely not a controversial sculpture, and besides, it fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape and looks quite organically on the outer facade of the building, the sculptor still had to listen to many critical remarks addressed to him. A lot of people didn't like her.

After the installation of the futuristic embryo, the actors, ordinary employees and even the theater management were divided into two warring camps. Some liked the sculpture and are happy with the gift, while others demand that it be dismantled immediately. This confrontation, unfortunately, is also noticeable on the stage, the warring parties hardly coexist here. But while the embryo is still in its place.

Despite the differences in the opinions of the townspeople, this sculpture is definitely popular with tourists. Firstly, this “Embryo”, as conceived by the sculptor, symbolizes the birth creative life. Secondly, after sunset, the embryo begins to shimmer in a pinkish-red color, which gives general atmosphere cities a certain mystery. The abstract figure arouses increased interest among tourists at night with its mysterious pleasant glow and blinking. Well, and, thirdly, this is the creation of the hand of David Cerny, and he is for Prague, like Antonio Gaudi for beautiful Barcelona.

Sculpture "Red Cars"

Idea to create in Prague international center contemporary art, in which Czech and foreign artists could exchange ideas and co-create, was born from the avant-garde sculptor David Černý in 2000.

Initially, the site was planned to open in the building of a former meat processing plant in the Holešovice industrial area. The sculptor came up for the center original name"MeetFactory" (loosely translated "Meeting Factory"), using consonance English words"meet" (meet) and "meat" (meat). This pun gave impetus to the development of the idea of ​​building design. Black made two life-sized, blood-red cars out of fiberglass that were supposed to hang on the wall at the entrance, resembling from afar bloodied meat carcasses on hooks.

However, the floods in Prague in 2002 prevented the Holešovice project from being realized, and the MeetFactory club only opened in 2005 in an empty warehouse in the Smíchov district. Before moving to Smíchov, Black's red cars were exhibited at the Veletržní Palác. Today they decorate the facade of MeetFactory, following the author's idea. They are visible from everywhere and, like a beacon, attract visitors. Associations with the slaughterhouse also reinforce the red streaks painted on the walls of the club.

Despite the bloody allusions, the tasks of the art platform MeetFactory, which Cherny manages together with David Koller and Alice Nellis, are exclusively peaceful. It unites and supports all areas of contemporary art: painting, theater, cinema and music - and seeks to bring them closer to the people. Exhibition halls give a chance to young artists from all over the world to find their audience. Saturated music program offers up to 6-8 events per month, including electro and indie parties, where you can spot Cherny himself with a can of beer. Among other things, red cars symbolize the atmosphere of "flying" fun that reigns in the club.

Sculpture-fountain "Manneken Pis" in Prague

The fountain (Čůrající postavy) is located near the building of the Franz Kafka Museum, which is not quite a museum in the traditional sense. Rather, it is a traveling exhibition that has remained in the city for quite some time. long term(about 10 years). Its exposition is located on the territory of the former Gergeta brick factory. Here, next to it, there is an interesting, simply amazing, sculptural composition.

The installation is made in some completely absurd style, in principle, like the works of the brilliant writer Franz Kafka. It represents a fountain formed by two pissing men standing opposite each other. Interestingly, the middle part of the sculptures can turn from side to side. Thanks to this movement, the fountains draw various figures on the water.

The author of this monument is the sculptor and artist David Cherny. He really created a rather unusual "monument" to men who relieve themselves of a small need on the map of the Czech Republic and at the same time "draw" sayings of famous Praguers near themselves.

The principle of operation of this hi-tech creation is very simple. The body parts of the bronze men, whose height is 2 meters 10 centimeters, are moved by electric motors installed inside the men, and they are controlled by a computer. As a result of the operation of the motors, the jet of water also moves, thus creating the outlines of various symbols at the foot of the statues.

The usual "work" of these men, who quote celebrities in such an unusual way, can be suspended. For this it is necessary with mobile phone send a short SMS to the number (+420 724 370 770) indicated next to the unusual fountain. A few minutes after receiving the message, the men will try to reproduce its content. Interestingly, the movements of the statues look very natural. This feature of the sculpture attracts everyone's attention. There are always many tourists here.

David Cherny is quite a scandalous person. However, thanks to this unusual and defiant combination of shameful and funny people and pay attention to the nearby Kafka Museum. The sculptural composition "Manneken Pis", like many of his works, also caused sharp criticism the public, but, nevertheless, received the same wide recognition and became another bright sight of Prague.

Take a modern art route through Prague - find giant babies, a hanging man, Franz Kafka's spinning head and unravel their meaning. The provocative sculptures of David Cherny evoke conflicting feelings, but leave no one indifferent.

We were in Prague for the third time and after another walk along the Charles Bridge, we wanted something new. Anticipating such a situation, I learned about the sculptures of David Cherny and put them on the map in advance. We completed this route in 2 days. As it turned out, many objects were located in the very center of Prague, literally above our heads, while others were “hiding” in courtyards and passages.

You can go around all the places in any order or choose the closest and most interesting ones. In any case, it will be a non-standard route that will open Prague to you from the other side.

chief actor contemporary art of Prague is David Cherny (David Černý). He became famous for painting a Soviet tank pink, not everyone understood the metaphor then. Now the significance of David Cherny for Prague can be compared with.

The tour is conducted by art historian Daria. She tells in an interesting and accessible way about the sculptures of David Cherny and other contemporary artists.

Sculptures of David Cherny on the map

The first sculpture of David Cherny is located on the territory of the gallery of modern art "FUTURA". The Museum-Gallery is a three-story exhibition space with a total area of ​​1000 m², located in the building former factory. Works of Czech and foreign contemporary artists are exhibited here.

To appreciate most of the works you need to be "very in the subject." In addition to photographs and paintings, there are installations using video and audio effects. The expositions change frequently. Look carefully under your feet and at the walls! Admission is free, but you can leave a donation.

"Monument to sycophancy" David Cherny stands in the courtyard. Two 5-meter white statues without heads bent in a characteristic pose, resting against the wall. The idea is to show the stupidity and facelessness of sycophants.

The composition also has a political background, to see it, you need to climb up the stairs and look into the hole-back. In the video inside, Czech dissident artist Milan Knizek feeds ex-President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Klaus porridge under Queen song"We are the champions".

• Address: Holečkova 49, Prague 5
• opening hours: Wed-Sun 11:00-18:00

Crawling Babies (Miminka)

3 black asexual baby giants crawl in the park of Kampa. Each bronze figure measures 3.5 x 2.5 meters and weighs about 100 kg. Babies have barcodes instead of faces. Thus, their author David Cherny expressed his attitude towards abortion.

Another interpretation lies in the faceless and genderless future that awaits us. Real children are very fond of climbing on sculptures of babies, which is not prohibited. In the house next door is the Kampa Museum of Modern Art, with a focus on works from the 20th century.

• Address: U Sovových mlýnů 2

Babies on the TV tower

In 2000, 10 sculptures of giant Miminka babies appeared on the Prague TV tower in the Zizkov district and turned it into a popular attraction. The babies quickly gained the sympathy of the townspeople and were left to crawl up the tower. Climbing up, you can see the panorama of Prague from a height of 216 meters and visit the Clouds restaurant.

• Address: Mahlerovy sady 1, Prague 3

The fountain is located in the courtyard of the Franz Kafka Museum. Two bronze figures of men 2.10 m high "piss" on the map of the Czech Republic, displaying various texts - statements of famous residents of Prague.

The movements of the sculptures are controlled by a computer. By sending an SMS to the number +420 724 370 770, you can set your own message or just throw a coin into the fountain. The inspiration for this composition was the statue of a pissing boy in Brussels.

• Address: Cihelna 2b, Mala Strana

To see the next work of David Cherny, you need to cross the Vltava along the Charles Bridge and find the theater "Na Zabradli". The sculpture was created for the theater's 50th anniversary and attached to its drainpipe like an umbilical cord. Not all theater employees appreciated such a gift and demanded that it be dismantled. As conceived by the author, the embryo symbolizes the birth of creative life. With the onset of dusk, the embryo begins to shimmer in a pinkish-red color.

• Address: Anenske nám. 209/5

hanging man

The sculpture, 2.20 meters high, hangs over Husova Street and no one notices it. The figure of a man resembles two famous personalities at once - Sigmund Freud and Lenin. David Cherny claims that this is the founder of psychoanalysis, hovering over the abyss of the unconscious.

• Address: Husova 351/1

Head of Franz Kafka

The largest and most expensive sculpture of David Cherny in Prague, which is not so easy to find. The giant head is installed in the courtyard of the Quadrio shopping center near the Národní třída metro station. The monument to Franz Kafka is made of stainless steel with a height of 10 meters and a weight of 45 tons.

The engineering structure consists of 42 mirrored, rotating disks that reflect neighboring buildings. It seems that Kafka's head is watching you! This sculpture cost the municipality 30 million crowns. A non-standard monument reflects the versatility of a non-standard person. Illumination turns on in the evening.

• Address: Charvátova, Nove Město

Horse

A sculpture that has angered many in Prague since its creation in 1999. Saint Wenceslas, performed by David the Black, sits on an upside down dead horse and this whole heavy composition hangs in the air. Initially, the sculpture was located opposite the classical monument on Wenceslas Square, but soon moved to the passage "Lucerna". A parody of unshakable stereotypes.

• address: Vodičkova 704/36

Unfortunately, part of the work of David Cherny was moved from the center of Prague to inaccessible places. The sculpture "Walking Trabant" (Quo vadis?) used to stand on the Old Town Square, and now in the closed territory of the German embassy. The sculpture "Pregnant Woman" disappeared from the intersection of Dlouhá and Masná streets and is now installed outside the city. But David Cherny continues to create new masterpieces that make Prague the center of contemporary art.

Nothing adds zest to the city like the presence of sculptures and monuments in it. Partly thanks to them, we remember cities, because there are historical, funny, ugly, and unusual sculptures. In today's article, we will walk around Prague in search of such sculptures.

About some unusual sculptures of Prague, most of which were created by the Czech sculptor David Cherny, I already wrote in the post "". Today it was the turn to write about the sculptures that were not included in that list.

While walking around Prague, you will find a huge number of sculptures of a wide variety of styles that adorn fountains, bridges, building facades or shops. But tourists are not particularly interested in looking at sculptures and monuments dedicated to famous historical figures, unless it is the Statue of Liberty, so we set off to look for the most bizarre creations.

1. An eerie, surrealistic sculpture called "The Cloak of Conscience" or "Commander", installed at the Estates Theater in memory of the premiere of Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni" in 1787. Under the cloak you will not see either the body or the face of the hero. Sculpture address: Železná ulice / Ovocný trh, Prague.

2. Sculpture of the writer Kafka in the very center of Prague on Dušní street next to the Spanish synagogue. The location of the sculpture was not chosen by chance: on this street Kafka lived with his family. The statue is 375 centimeters high and weighs 800 kilograms. In general, this sculpture personifies the work "Description of one struggle." Sculpture address: Dušní 141/12, Prague.

3. Czechs used to believe in all sorts of monsters, monsters, including mermen. There is a legend according to which the water one can appear in several places in Prague, one of them is the Prague Venice, which is located on the Chertovka Canal near the water mill near the bridge of lovers. Therefore, it was decided to install the Water sculpture (Kabourek) here. This statue was created by the sculptor Josef Nálepa ​​- one of the few who made a portrait of Salvador Dali. Sculpture address: Hroznová 489/3, Prague.

4. Memorial sculpture in honor of the work of the broker Sir Nicholas Winton (Sir Nicholas George Winton), who on the eve of World War II helped save 669 children, taking them from German-occupied Czechoslovakia to the UK. Sir kept this secret for 49 years. The sculpture is located in the building of the main station in Prague at Wilsonova 300/8, Prague, platform No. 1.

5. Walking through the narrow streets of Prague in the Klimentinum area, you can see a girl sitting on the eaves of the house and holding a paper swallow (Vlaštovka) in her hands. This composition represents world peace. Sculpture address: Mariánské náměstí 5, Prague.

6. The installation of 34 yellow penguins on the Vltava is called "March of the Penguins across the Vltava River". Penguins glow at night! They are made from recycled plastic bottles and as if hinting that you need to take care of the environment.

7. Czechs are very fond of animals, so it is not surprising that there are sculptures of animals in the city, for example, this fountain is a seal. The sculpture can be found if you go down through the Kinsky garden (Kinského zahrada).

8. During the walk you can see a fountain with horses.

9. Such puppets adorn the entrance either to the museum of marionette puppets, or to the puppet theater.

10. All houses in the center of Prague have a history dating back to the Middle Ages, so it is not surprising that many houses have different signs and decorations.

11. I think that many people know the popular Czech cartoon about the mole, but there are other well-known children's heroes in the Czech Republic - these are Spejbl and Hurvinek (Spejbl a Hurvínek). These are wooden dolls that became the main characters of one of the first professional puppet theaters in the world. And this shop with Speable and Hurvink stands at the theater of the same name at the address: Dejvická 38, Prague.

12. Now let's move on to obscenities. In the photo you see a sculpture of a naked boy, with whom tourists like to be photographed, holding him by an indecent place. Sculpture address: Jiřská 4, Praha, Czech Republic (in front of the entrance to the toy museum).

13. In front of the Inter Continental Hotel (Pařížská 30, Prague) stands the brainchild of Czech sculptor Lea Vivot, who now lives in Canada. The sculpture is called "Grapes of Passions" and the inscription "Bronze is a mirror of forms. Wine is the mirror of the heart.

14. Lea Vivot created other sculptures in Prague. For example, at the O2 Arena at Českomoravská 2345/17, Prague there is a sculpture with a hockey player, a skater and a blonde. The work is called “Our life is a game”, but the Czechs prefer other names: “Skater” or “Beauty and the Beast”.

15. Sculptures of representatives of the ancient profession are at least in Amsterdam, Bratislava, Oslo, and the same sculpture was in Prague until the decency fighters demanded that it be removed. This vice shop (The Bench of Vice, Lavička neřesti) was removed, but photos of this composition continue to surf the Internet.

16. In a remote area of ​​Prague called Stodulky, there is a red sculpture of a naked girl. Sculpture appeared during communism, which was brought by you-know-who to Czechoslovakia. At that time, from the fund of each building, an amount of 1-4% for art was to be charged. The sculptor, by this work, probably wanted to show that a lot of blood was shed, but we need art. Sculpture address: Kovářova 64/28, Prague.

Agencies of official dealers of Aeroflot, S7, Ural Airlines and all famous airlines in the world.

ABOUT famous sculpture"Manneken Pis", installed near the Grand Palace in Brussels, is known, perhaps, to every tourist. Do you know that his "competitor" is in the Czech capital? More precisely, even two. We are talking about a monument to pissing men, installed in the courtyard of the Franz Kafka Museum, which is located in Mala Strana, on the left side of the Charles Bridge (the distance between them is no more than 50 meters). The author of the original work is a popular artist and sculptor at home and abroad.

The sculptural composition in the form of a fountain is installed directly opposite, where, by the way, the writer's personal diary, letters, photographs and his books are kept. It looks like this: two men cast in bronze stand opposite each other and urinate. They do this, of course, not on the road surface, but in a shallow reservoir. If you thought that it was ordinary, like other fountains, you were mistaken: the shape of the reservoir resembles ... the outlines of the territory of the Czech Republic. The guests of the city on the Vltava, who saw the composition for the first time, enthusiastically exclaim: “It was necessary to think of such a thing!” And here there is something to be surprised and admire, because you will not see such monuments in Prague everywhere, but only in some places.

There are a lot of monuments of various kinds in the capital of the Czech Republic, the most ancient, of course, are located in the Prague Castle. It is there that the famous Church of St. Vitus is located, founded in the middle of the 14th century and the phased construction of which continued until the middle of the 19th century. There are a lot of famous sculptures and bas-reliefs here. The church itself even surpasses Notre Dame Cathedral in volume, although it is somewhat shorter in length. The Charles Bridge, decorated with dozens of monuments and sculptural groups, is also unique.

But there are also bright sculptures of the new time in Prague. Among them is a monument to the victims of communism. The memorial includes seven bronze sculptures, the figures of emaciated people symbolize the suffering of political prisoners from the communist regime. The depressing impression is strengthened by the fact that, in accordance with the architects' intention, each sculpture looks inferior: one does not have any limb, a fracture is visible on the body of the other.

The well-known sculptor David Cherny is successfully working in the Czech Republic. He, in particular, created a monument to the writer Franz Kafka, having managed to bring to life the image of the most mysterious writer of the twentieth century. The art object is made of stainless steel in the form of 42 horizontal elements that do not depend on other parts and are constantly in motion, stopping only for a few minutes and allowing you to view the exact image of Franz Kafka. The writer worked on novels that influenced many readers, and now the "Brilliant Head of Franz Kafka" stands majestically over a small square and reminds of the writer's huge contribution to literature.

In the courtyard of Kafka's house-museum in Prague, another original creation by David Cherny is installed - "Monument to Pissing Men". Men urinate on a map of the Czech Republic filled with water, which symbolizes the division of Czechoslovakia. The monument is interactive: thanks to a special electronic device, male sculptures can move their hips and certain organs, drawing different quotes on the water surface of the reservoir. What will be “written” can be ordered by sending a paid SMS to a specific phone number.

One of the most provocative sculptures of David Cherny is the sculpture “Toadying”, which is two five-meter white figures of naked headless men, resting their hands on a concrete wall. In addition to monumental satire, political irony is also present in the work of David Cherny. You can feel it if you climb a specially installed iron staircase and watch a continuously shown video with Vaclav Klaus, the former president of the Czech Republic, and Milan Knizak, a famous Czech artist, sculptor, musician and dissident. The latter feeds Vaclav Klaus with porridge flowing down his chin and dripping onto the table, while Queen's composition "We are the champions" is played.

Monuments are the most important element of human civilization - they have been erected and destroyed at all times. Almost three thousand years ago, Queen Hatshepsut ruled Egypt in the guise of a male pharaoh for more than two decades, and she ruled well. When she died, her successor, by the way, a nephew, in anger for insulting the image of a male pharaoh, began to destroy all the monuments and monuments dedicated to Hatshepsut. But he ruled Egypt much worse than his predecessor.

Today, monuments continue to be destroyed and new ones created. Czech Republic is a good example careful attitude to history and providing freedom for the creativity of sculptors and artists. Today, Czech modernist sculptures reflect our difficult times. Time will put everything in its place.