David Cerny Update

David Cerny's Purple FingerDavid Cerny made the news in October but as it was more a political statement than art I did not post about it then.  This sculpture is anchored in the Vltava River and pointed toward Prague Castle, the seat of Czech President Milos Zeman.

Friday Karin and I dropped by the private gallery exhibition of some of Cerny’s current work.  As always it was quite interesting.  Though a couple of the better pieces are too explicit to be shown on this family friendly site.

The London bus is a miniature of the one I previously wrote about.  The other pieces shown represent his current style of embedding anything and everything in clear resin that is shaped to characterize people, body parts and other objects. Example detail in bottom photo.

David Cerny exhibition

Detail of Cerny resin art

Although displayed in a commercial gallery there were no prices on any of the pieces and we didn’t ask.  Any guesses?

David Cerny in London

Cerny art in London, busAs I have written before, I was rather surprised to find that David Cerny is not world-famous since one sees his work everywhere in Prague. However, his fame may be in the ascent as he now has a very visible installation in London during the Olympics.

 

London bus doing push-up by David CernyHis work, titled London Booster, takes the London symbol of the red double-decker bus and makes it do push-ups like any athlete.  It is part of a major exhibition promoting all things Czech at the Business Design Centre in the Borough of Islington.  Also included are large screen projections, fantastic music, futuristic design, celebrations with athletes, exhibitions and more.

All Czech mates in or near London should check it out.

Kampa Island

This morning I read again Karin’s account of our visit to Kampa Island.  Once again I was impressed with the quality of her photos, the appropriateness of her researched comments and with her evocative imagination.  She is a most excellent personal tour guide.  In relation to the caption of the last photo, I am indeed a lucky man.

A bit of this, a bit of that . . .

We are travelling to see family and our blog has suffered the consequences.  I seem to have time to read other people’s blogs, but haven’t organized myself enough to sit down and write on ours.  So, if you are still out there, waiting, I hope you enjoy some random things we saw in January of 2010.Cleaning in Metro station

 

The man in the yellow hat is wiping down the sides of the escalator in the Metro.  What an easy job. . . he just stands there while the escalator does all the work!  Most Metro’s are quite clean thanks to these guys.David Cerny art:  Man hanging

 

At first glance one wonders if they should call the police!  This actually is a sculpture by David Cerny, Prague’s controversial artist who has many interesting (and shocking sculptures) around the city.  Cerny uses the image of Sigmund Freud in this precarious position to communicate one’s need to consciously make the decision to live life or to let go.  Rather a deep subject and not to be taken lightly. . . thankfully this Hanging Man is hanging on!architectural art, arch support figures, Prague

 

Every time I saw these huge figures, which are often at the entrances of large buildings, I thought of Purgatory!!  Seriously, I would look up and instantly feel the tremendous crushing weight they have on their heads . . . and wonder if they were once real people who did naughty things!  I could almost hear them moaning and groaning.  But then, I am the one who thanks the tires on my car for all the work and punishment it takes just to get me from here to there!  Ha, ha.Charles Square, Eliska Krasnohorska statue

 

When we got off the tram in Charles Square the first thing we saw was this statue of Eliska Krasnohorska holding a yellow flower someone had given her, along with her book.  The day was cold and grey but people who saw the flower immediately had a smile on their face!  Eliska Krasnohorksa (1847-1926) was a Czech feminist author who wrote works of lyric poetry and literary criticism.  However, she is usually associated with children’s literature and translations, including works by Pushkin and Byron.  Krasnohorska wrote the libretti for several operas by Bedrich Smetana.  Somehow I think she would have approved of the yellow flower given her.Prague logo, spell Prague

 

How many ways can you spell Prague?  I loved this phone booth but in the days of mobiles and cell phones I wonder if it will one day be a monument? roses in Prague in winter

 

How to keep cheery in January!  I love flowers and was more than pleased when Michael surprised me with these beautiful roses.