David Černý

David Černý's sculpture of St. Wenceslas in the Lucerna passageway

Often I feel like I have a greater appreciation for art because I am not a creator of art myself. When coming to Prague, I expected to see beautiful artwork, while the architecture of the city itself fascinated and intrigued me. One interesting sculptor and artist has just caught my attention. David Cerny is a free spirited artist, with a wild imagination. He uses mystification and sarcasm to make a statement on Czech culture.
David Cerny’s statue in the Lucerna Palace passageway mocks the famous, renowned statue of St. Wenceslas on a horse in Wenceslas Square. Cerny’s version was done in 1999, and it is of St. Wenceslas riding a “dead,” inverted, hanging horse. While many people are fans of his creative work, older generations in the Czech Republic resent him as an artist. These older generations find his work offensive, especially the statue of St. Wenceslas, where the horse is upside down with his tongue sticking out.
I think the message that Cerny is trying to convey is that he is mocking the fact that St. Wenceslas is seen as the patron of the Czech Republic. He is outwardly saying that he is over this symbol of Czech culture. I am also so impressed by Cerny’s boldness to continue producing this shock art. I feel like since he is from a former Communist country, the fact that he can create this type of work is impressive. I am not even sure if he would survive in the United States or if his work would be censored. How many statues do we have mocking Abraham Lincoln? Cerny’s version of Wenceslas is extremely mystifying. I think that it attracts more tourists or young Czech radicals. St. Wenceslas statue in Wenceslas Square
I do not think that Prague is necessarily represented by this sculpture, yet Cerny’s free spirit captures the spirit of the momentum of the city and the country as it currently blossoms as a democratic state. It shows the value of artwork in order to convey messages and be used as a tool of expression and communication in a democratic country. Since art is about the message, it is interesting how many messages and emotions his work can evoke; there can be many interpretations of just this piece. I am intrigued by Cerny’s work and want to discover more of his pieces around the city. Also, I feel like he creates his artwork to make a statement rather than for aesthetic value. This intrigues me because I know that he uses an intricate design and is a talented sculptor. However, he is more interested in using his artwork to communicate. This is something I did not expect to see in Prague. As a city in its infant stages of democracy it is fascinating that someone is outwardly expressing his or her freedom. Yet, at the same time, in such a naturally beautiful and preserved city like Prague, Cerny’s work really contrasts and makes a bold statement. Where else will I see St. Wenceslas riding an upside down horse?