Thursday, January 15, 2009

Quirky Euro Files: Czech Artist Pulls Off Magnificent Art Prank

I won't spoil it by trying to explain. Read all about it here, here (with some fabulous close-up photos of the art), and here, and then see humorist Mark Steyn's take on it here and here. Goofing around with national stereotypes is playing with fire in today's oppressively politically-correct atmosphere, but it can be uproariously funny. Add an elaborate and splendidly successful hoax, and this is sheer subversive, tweak-the-authority humor.

My instinct is to applaud David Cerny, the playful Czech artist-trickster. Hoodwinked, duped Euro-crats, predictably, are not amused. Yes, some people are offended. And yes, some people are calling for the art project to be banned. So much for artistic liberty, eh? Crushed under the heel of Brussels? How does one say "censorship" in each of the EU's gazillion official languages? Sometimes in terms of public relations, Europhiles are their own worst enemies. As this headline says, "Czech sculpture tests EU sense of humour" -- and found it sadly lacking . . . though plenty of other folks are giggling appreciatively.

Meanwhile enjoy the prankish art and notice that, amid all the nations, one is missing -- the Euroskeptic UK!

UPDATE: The Bulgaria part of the sculpture will be taken off. Aw, spoilsport Eurocrats.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

the UK's absence was part of the joke.

i read about this the other day and thought it was hilarious. i think they should keep it up. if people can't laugh at themselves, the eu is doomed

Mad Minerva said...

The UK joke was pretty darn awesome. In fact, the entire display was genius. Predictably, the pompous powerholders there (as elsewhere) can't unbend enough to enjoy. As La Parisienne says, "If someone doesn't have a sense of humor, stay far, far away."