Adam Smith Institute

All of the scam behind this fun piece is a little better then the actual works overall quality. While political sarcasm is fair game, for someone with the wherewithal to concoct so many different Identities I would expect a little more pizzazz in his work. Not quite edgy enough, and a bit small in proportion. A not quite a grad school level piece.

Being aware of the controversy surrounding this piece of art, you should probably state why you think so... In case some representatives of those nations actually do take offense. And for the record, that's more of an "installation" than piece of art, but that's just me.
Let's hope this isn't a real representation of the views Czechs hold for the rest of Europe.

Wow, this genius has managed to portray Romania as connected with Dracula. How stunningly original.

Europe is unified by its history, cultureand, in recent years, also by a jointly created political structure. More or less diverse countries are intertwined by a network of multi-dimensional relationships that, in effect, results in an intricate whole. From within,we tend to focus on the differences between the individual European countries. These differences include thousands of important and unimportant things ranging from geographical situation to gastronomy and everyday habits.

The EU puzzle is both a metaphor and a celebration of this diversity. It comprises the building blocks of the political, economic and culturalrelationships with which we 'toy' but which will be passed on to our children. The task of today is to create building blocks with the best possible characteristics.

Self-reflection, critical thinking and the capacity to perceive oneself aswell as the outside world with a senseof imny are the hallmarks of European thinking. This art project that originated on the occasion of Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union attempts to present Europe as a whole from the perspectives of 27artists from the individual EU Member States. Their projects share the playful analysis of national stereotypes as well as original characteristics of the individual cultural identities.

That much is stated in an official booklet of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However Entropa is not a real pan-European work by artists-provocateurs, but a mystification. At first glance, it looks like a project to decorate official space, which has degenerated to an unhindered display of national traumas and complexes. Individual states in the European Union puzzle are presented by non-existent artists. They have their names, artificially created identities, and some have their own Web sites. Each of them is the author of a text explaining their motivation to take part in the common project. That all was created by David Cerny, Kristof Kintera and Tomas Pospiszyl, with the help of a large team of colleagues from the Czech Republic and abroad.

The original intention was indeed to ask 27 European artists for participation. But it became apparent that this plan cannot be realised, due to time, production, and financial constraints. The team therefore, without the knowledge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, decided to create fictitious artists who would represent various European national and artistic stereotypes. We apologise to Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, Deputy Prime Minister Alexandr Vondra, Minister Karel Schwarzenberg and their departments that we did not inform them of the true state of affairs and thus misguided them. We did not want them to bear the responsibility for this kind of politically incorrect satire. We knew the truth would come out. But before that we wanted to find out if Europe is able to laugh at itself.


At the beginning stood the question: What do we really know about Europe? We have information about some states, we only know various tourist clichés about others. We know basically nothing about several of them. The art works, by artificially constructed artists from the 27 EU countries, show how difficult and fragmented Europe as a whole can seem from the perspective of the Czech Republic. We do not want to insult anybody, just point at the difficulty of communication without having the ability of being ironic.


Grotesque hyperbole and mystification belongs among the trademarks of Czech culture and creating false identities is one of the strategies of contemporary art. The images of individual parts of Entropa use artistic techniques often characterised by provocation. The piece thus also lampoons the socially activist art that balances on the verge between would-be controversial attacks on national character and undisturbing decoration of an official space. We believe that the environment of Brussels is capable of ironic self-reflection, we believe in the sense of humour of European nations and their representatives.

Source: http://www.davidcerny.cz/startEN.html

This work is the mirror of our prejudices, prejudices are never original

Some representations are spot on and some are way off. Really disappointing for me. One artist who seems to have missed the last 20 years of life in Europe comes from seclusion and decides to create a piece of art that represents the European countries. When you do something like that read some history books about that country, inform yourself about the character of people that live in it - don't rely on childhood memories.

I thought the "installation" was rather good fun and not to be taken too seriously, while the word 'genius' was meant in its very loosest sense.

I agree with PS. Dear me, what a po-faced lot some of your commenters have turned into. The whole thing was meant as a great big joke, with its exaggerated stereotypes and the pseud’s corner bulls**t in the artists’ comments.

The Czechs have long experience of thumbing their noses at stony-faced authority – Austria-Hungary, Nazis, Communists and now the EUSSR, and it’s good to see that they haven’t changed.The real tragedy is that we Brits, with our tradition of satire and irreverent humour, no longer seem to have the balls to do the same sort of thing.

I agree that the Czechs have earned the right to have the Presidency permanently. The EU would still be a malignant boil on the body politic of Europe, but at least we’d all have a laugh.

Why can't people just laugh at themselves ???

It is all this PC non-sense that is making a mockery of so many things. Is this art? ... i don't know, Definetely better than 'modern art' ... Is this funny? yes.

I wish people would stop whining.

Does anyone know what the Czech Republic looks like on this piece of art?

David Cerny prepared a few performances - provocations in the paste - see his web www.davidcerny.cz. No surprise. No art. Primitive and expansive.
On the other way I do like his "non political" installations. The babies climbing up and down on he highest tower in prague are marvellous

I am Czech and I have been looking and reading major views on this art work. The only thing that I hold as a big no no is that there aren't really 27 artists represented... this would have probably lowered the criticism but as a Czech I know that no one can be as self flagellating as the the Czechs. This for me would have made the work bland as the various artists will never be too harsh on their "selves"

The Czech republic is portrayed in the typical sense that we see ourselves.. its portrayed here as in the heart of Europe, an electronic map with a golden rim and inside the President's talk... Vaclav Klaus (Mr.president...lol) is well known and well hated in the EU as he is a major anti-EU (not against the EU per se but against the visible actions of larger countries as France, UK and Germany to dominate the decision making) and vocal about his feelings as well as one of the few who completely dismisses the theories of global warming stating that our globe's rise in temperature is a natural process (nevermind the human kind) and that the new lands open for cultivation once the ice subsides will be a major plus.

So he portrayed the Czechs thinking of themselves as the golden guys who know everything... we have a term in Czech saying "holier than the pope".. meaning that we take EU rules ans regulations and make them even more strict and more complicated... Thats pretty tough in terms of self criticism... in a way he is showing the world that we think that "we got it all"

just by creating such a fuss on the work proves that it is good.. and I do take it with humor as well with the realization that a couple of countries could have been handled in a better way....

from a personal point of view and with regards to my sexual orientation I am (wetting) my pants seeing the depiction of Poland which is more or less a reality... we as people will agree to some and disagree on others...

LETS LAUGH ABOUT IT!!!!! the EU and we as people do have much more important things to deal with... much more grave troubles and dangers. How can I sit and deal with something like this when todays international politics adn reality is what it is... sad

THUMBS up in stirring such a discussion

I do not know much about art and even if I had all the knowvledge of the universe still you would not convince me that Tracey Emins' "my bed" is something of an artisitic value yet she made it to Royal Academy of Art in London. In the same way some people may not appreciate the work of David Cerny but his vision clearly has an impact on wider community. That in my opinion is the aim of modern art... to make one see, feel, think...

The Czechs were saying they did not want to censor it. And then when you post on this website the message goes to site administrator to check for insults and so on. To me the symbol for my country is way too provocative (even insulting). Now guys without thinking too much check all the country symbols and tell me where do you think I am from?
I hate it and I don't care about it's idea. They say its sarcastic - where's the sarcasm on the highways of Germany? Or the soccer field on Italy?
He relied on a memory that he got when he was a kid. Well if you my friend are going so much back in time I am sure that you would have gotten a bit different picture for lets say Germany or Italy or Spain or Austria.

I walk past the thing every day now, and it certainly attracts a lot of attention which will chiefly benefit David C. And some of the depictions are funny. Others are just offensive. I'm sure we can all laugh at ourselves; it is perhaps less easy to laugh when the joke consists of someone else gratuitously making a rude manual gesture, but then expecting one to laugh. I suspect that genius lies elsewhere in the art world.

Hi, I am Czech and I consider this piece of "art" really awkward, especially the depiction of some countries, notably Germany, Bulgaria, Holland. I also consider Mr. Klaus a big jerk, actually suffering from a narcisstic personality disorder (he has a compulsion to be always on the spotlights, if he cannot do it with positive things, he will do it negatively). If it goes on like this, I will be ashamed to admit, that I am Czech :-)

If this were merely a work made on his "own time", Mr Černý could just be ignored as yet another sensationalist. I am guessing, as a member of the art world myself, that Černý recieved a generous grant for this. Which is a true shame. First off he lied about authorship, and secondly he presented a purely juvenile work. Then he presented a big check to to his bank and an image to the world of artists as arrogant and infantile.

They have definitely shown the sore points of these countries.
Mind you, no country is perfect. But European countries have
a habit of portraying themselves as such, and they are only
fooling themselves. Thanks to these brave artists, Entropa
is a slap on the face of Eurocentric dreamers. To their credit
I think the Czech government has shown great character with
their respect for freedom of speech by keeping the installation
in place despite all the pressure from the sore thumbs.

I'm am, for once, totally happy with how my tax money which is sent to Europe has been spent. More stuff like this from the EU please.

I am from Slovakia. Personally, I don't feel offended by the depiction of my country as a hungarian meat product. Most of the people passing by the installation will not understand that anyway (it's not as suggestive to most of the europeans as it is in case of Romania, for example). Anyhow, I think that the Entropa installation in itself is quite a mediocre piece of art and not very creative at all. In addition to that I think the whole point of having the EU rotating presidency for 6 month, as the Czech Republic now has for the first time, is not as much to shock the Europe throught artistic depictions or present how far the country gone in freedom of speech since the fall of the communism, but rather to show good diplomatic and negotiating skills and try to move the common european agenda successfully forward.

I actually am quite happy with the money spent as well. Despite the fact that you might call the formalistic approach mediocre, the debate it stirred up certainly isn't. The piece is supposed to be about stereotypes...some are well-depicted and some are - I agree - maybe a bit far-off or not very contemporary. It's a view from the outside on your own country - and it's a rather Czech view on it as well. Come on, they still think that every second German is a Nazi...it's sad and funny at the same time cause in the end, the piece itself and now the whole debate about it just reveal how much Europe is still caught up in nationalism ... had there not been a debate, it would have just revealed how backwarded (or maybe even anti-European) the Czechs are in their thinking. And this is what I mean, it is not the peace itself that reflects Europe but certainly the debate it provoked.

So - I agree - politicians should certainly get back to their jobs instead of summoning summits - like the Bulgarians - on a piece of art but it in fact it seems that to many of them it is more important to preserve their national prides.

Oh, and Bulgaria is demanding to be completely removed from the piece.

If that's not symbolic, then what is?!?!?!

;)))


Art has no other purpose than to brush aside... the conventional and accepted generalities, in short everything that veils reality from us, in order to bring us face to face with reality itself. (Henri Bergson)

The whole project was supposed to be created by 27 artists from each of the EU countries and Mr. David was supposed to put all the picks together. I will not accept a Bulgarian representation made by a Czech. The whole idea was completely different. And I don't want it there. I will be happy to get it removed. Symbolic? Sure! I am happy that Bulgaria is in EU but we don't kiss a@* and being there is not everything. We have pride just like every country. So, respect!

I am sure if this fellow selected the svastic as a representation of Germany it would have been removed even before the opening.

But he did select the svastic to represent Germany...

Not sure why everyone is fussing over this. It's art - subjective and to be interpreted however you wish. I'm Romanian and am not insulted that my country is depicted with the Dracula theme...to be honest, any time someone asks me what my background is, and I say "Romania", they always say either "Oh, Dracula!" or "Oh, Ceausescu!". I see this artwork as a depiction of the ignorance in the world. So, props to the artist!

I'm czech myself and have lived outside my country for almost 10 years now though i still travel back very frequently so I'm not that out of touch. Personally, also given my eurosceptic nature, i think this piece of (and you might wanna call it art or installation) is absolutely brilliant. Europeans can't be forced by Brussels to live in a "straight jacket" imposed on them by few dillusiional politicians. I also have had the chance (in my line of work) to meet other eastern european guys and while we joked about our past under the russian oppression, make no mistake, there are still wide spread animosities between different countries ( i believe Hungarians even have their own sh..t list of countries they dislike the most). Europe is drowning in stereotypes, just remind yourselves the terms english language has for French, Germans etc... How many times you wanted to travel to Paris and you couldn't cause these losers were on strike ?(that happened to me on numerous occasions), I have friends in France and some of them say that Belgians are only good for chocolate and a cheap heating oil (though dunno where this one is coming from)... and i could go on and on and on...and I'm certain other nations do stereotype about czechs as well... would i be offended for being depicted as a nation of pork and dumpling eating beer bellies? not at all... turkish toilet? fair point ... maybe little over the edge... on the other hand have you ever been in Bulgaria? lighten up guys, take it easy... and for those who seem to have a problem with the 350k EUR he got paid... a, it was commissioned by a private individual... b, David Cerny already promised to return the money

I had a good laugh re this piece of art. It is original, mirrors, and, perhaps, greatly enlarges prejudices that our new EU friends have about the settled and new members. Compared to our Dutch orange tapestry, some years ago, it is a very refreshing view. We should reflect why a Czech artist holds this mirror to us!

You know, richard. "All of the scam behind this fun piece" is really part of the piece. It's a conceptual art and a jigsaw after all. Time will tell, you'll see. Your way of "measuring" art is plain ridiculous btw.

Any label can be a stereotype, this artwork only represents this guys personal view, as these are the visions he chose as stereotypes. These are the visions he settled on. If you like the piece, then the stereotypes resound in your personal beliefs or observations. I myself was surprised at his choices, and at what he considers is a European stereotype of these countries. Even though I am also of Eastern European descent, I don't have the same generalisationsin my mind when these countries are mentioned. I am more informed than that and cannot settle on such a simplistic narative.
To think he can speak for all Europeans! What a basic provocateur. Like that guy who did Piss-Christ by dipping a crusifix in a tank full of urine, again playing on the stereotype of body of christ, and bodily fluids.. BOORING and pointless. Germans as Nazis, nice..and Bulgarians as shit..very imaginitive and thought provoking..
Go and take a good look at his other stuff. He is like thousands of other seudo-artists that make a name of themselfs by being just provocative with basic tedium-inspiring ideas.
I am wondering what he chose as his sterotype of the Czech republic? Surely not a high price hooker going down on the entire European continent? Or perhaps as the Jew of Europe? Or an army deserter? One of those must resound with someone out there surely? Not for myself, you see, I see the Czechs as a lovely, eastern european model, who just happens to be also a classically trained violinist, now is that not a nicer vision than the high priced hooker?
what I am trying to say is that bigotry and racism and sterotypes are all inthe view of the beholder, it's only when we acknowledge these simplistic labels and give them a voice do they then somehow become the truth,
Boring , boring..try harder next time..

Common guys, who really sees the swastic in there? There is no one! The highway parts had to be straight, that's all.

English-Czech website of fans of the Entropa and David Cerny - http://www.davidcerny-entropa.eu

Well, don't forget the 27 artists that didn't had the chance to work on the project and to have visibility, and the ones who have seen their biographies used without permission along with invented names and didn't earn any money.
Now Cerny sais is going to give back the money... I'll bet he is!

The depiction of Denmark is great, do you remember the time Muhammad caricature was released in danish newspaper? Muslims were angry and europeans claimed that freedom of speech is the most important thing for them. And now the same europeans are just as angry as muslims were...isn´t it hypocritical?

First of all I wouldnt say Topolanek or Vondra had seen the work before it was unveiled. So their "freedom of artistic expression" talk is just a cover up for the fact they didn't t have time to see it in advance.
David Cerny tried to do something provocative which he has achieved. And Certainly a lot of fuss about the installation is due to the fact that everybody expected something non-controversial that would celebrate EU states and their unity.
It proved that various EU counries' officials can't stand any "step out of the line". I appreciate that David Cerny tried to take the skeletons out of the cupboard. Thats for the positive sides of the installation.
But what is "Czech" about Entropa? That in doing so it lacks ideas. Most Czech artists have nothing to say. Mostly they are just pretenders. I think contemporary Czech art is overrated.
The very idea could have been exploited much more by David Cerny and his collaborators, but it wasnt.
Two expections are his depictions of Poland and Denmark. These criticize real problems - Poland disrespect (to say the least) for gay and lesbian rights and insulting caricatures of Mohammed printed in Danish newspapers.
But it doesnt seem to me that in the case of other countries it was so much to the point. Whats so wrong about French people defending their rights, jobs and rights by going on strike?
I believe there are things about every single EU country that are to be criticized. And these should have been part of the installation so that not only Bulgaria but officials of all countries would protest in disgust and for a reason.
And depiction of the Czech Republic should have been the harshest.

I think the comment made by London.calling is spot on. The european union has a tendency to radiate a certain arrogance: we have democracy, we have freedom of speech, we are tolerant (think about what's being said about the middle east).

This piece, which obviously hits one country more than the other with its sarcasm, shows that despite being a European union, we seem to be little individual pieces of a puzzle not yet glued together. I think that any citizen taking personal offense should stop looking at himself and look at the bigger picture. David Cerny has proven we're not ready for a true union yet... It's only political people and words for the moment.

By the way, as a dutchman, I do find his depiction of my country quite accurate and up to date, not the typical stereotype of windmills, wooden shoes and cheese. It's not about the depiction of the country, it's about many small identities not being a Union. And I think the way he presented this is quite amusing.

Oh, and the SNCF in the south of france is heading for a full month and a half of strike now...:-)

I don't think we can solve the issues in the middle east and Africa and anywhere, without coming to terms with ourselves and our neighbours first.

Keep the dialogue alive!!!!

entropa is funny

Funny Mr. Cerny.,
If you are really unlimited in mind, just try then to visualize Germany in the way that most of Europe recognize it - by the svastik. But nooo, you are scared. hihihi. Similarly you could depict Italy as a big garbage backet or mafia criminality... but you are too small to do it, don`t you? In the same time you dear to insult one of the newest countries in the Union presenting it as WC. In addition, you invented some unkown name to be the author of this.
Luck of courrage, luch of correctness... Could it be really an artist?

Cheers to Mr. Cerny for having the artistic sense to provoke!

Art has many purposes... among them education, communication and provocation. It may be the wrong forum for his art but only because the member countries are striving to communicate a message other than the one he, and arguably the rest of the EU, are perceiving.

If you consider the work of art to be a depiction of the failure by the member countries to achieve their goals of communicating a idealized portrait of themselves, you may begin to understand Mr. Cerny's motivation to portray them as he did.

How can a union remain as such if its own members choose to camouflage their own shortcomings to satisfy some idealistic political views without ever addressing the problems? Address the problems, and strengthen the union.

Rather than chastise him for his insight, the member nations should consider working to change the misconception and applaud him for forcing them to take a look at themselves. The member nations contributions and strengths should be the focus of any art that will adorn their meeting place but only when the same become the reality rather than the desired perception.

Until then, let Mr. Cerny and everyone else who have so adamantly objected to his artwork attempt to overcome that which he has depicted.

His artistic goal has been achieved.

He must give the money back. 26 artists were supposed to work on this project and they didn't get any chance to do it. Instead of this Cherny took the money and invented fake identities for imaginary artists with the stupid idea to enjoy the reactions from the insult that he calls "art". Provoking diplomatic scandals cannot be called "achieving of an artistic goal" it just shows ignorance and lack of good taste.

I'm not going to pretend I'm an art critic (unlike some of the posters on this forum) and judge the artistic value of David Cerny's work. What I really appreciate is the uproar surrounding this installation. Entropa was never meant to be taken seriously and I can only feel sorry for the narrow-minded people who find it offensive.

The pathetic reaction of Bulgaria is typical for a country with an inferiority complex. I almost feel ashamed to be Bulgarian...

Luigi, I find the official reaction of Bulgarian institutions funny, not so much the artwork. But you are not alone laughing at this.

This is a HITLER GENIUS. THE WEST COUNTRIES ARE DEPICTED WITH FRIENDS JUKS, THE EAST COUNTRIES ONLY WITH TERRIBLE THINGS. YOU CAN DEPICT ALL EUROPE UNDER WATER BECAUSE OF THE GLOBAL WARMING.CLEEN THE PLANETT!!! NOT HUMILIATE SMALL COUNTRIES!! I wont to depict the Check toilets on the Prague airport - how dirty they are, there is even no water. Fix your toilets on the Prague airport!!!!! What a huniliation for a nation. Spain is a construction. COME AND SEE THE CONSTRACTIONS IN BULGARIA THE LAST DECADE. I WILL DEPICT MY CONTRY AS A COUNTRY OF DREAMS FOR MANY EUROPENAS. 30 000 BRITISH ARE LIVING ALREADY THERE.

SHAME FOR THE CHECKS !!! THEY ARE FASCISTS! THIS IS NOT A ART! CURNY SHOULD GO TO A JAIL FOR FASCIST IDEAS!!!

What a drama!!!! Bulgaria shown as a toilet !!!
Mr.Cerny,your work has a message.I live in Bulgaria, I love my country but absolutely agree with the idea.With only one remark....your toilets are too clean to resent the reality here .Thank you !

As a Czech, I noticed several reactions from several countries - what they would depict the Czech Republic like (including the one in a Bulgarian paper Trud - The good soldier Schweik soiling the country - or other showing us as a nation of drunk "know-it-alls" etc etc.). Do I get angry? Of course I don't.
European nations pretend to be brothers - hey, have you ever seen any siblings who would not tease each other? Actually, it's good to see it going on - we have teased, we are getting it back - what the hell?

Look at what Denmark "appears" to be depicted as. Stop for a second, think, at this point you should remember what happened back in 2005. Now being perfectly honest with yourself remember your reaction, remember the reaction of Europe as a whole. Now take your self back and look at the reaction regarding this piece, now did you learn something new about Europe, maybe about your self? Does it change you perspective? Remember you have to be completely honest to your self.

Now the new perspective it gives you, on everything, but mainly the EU and you your self can can vary, but so long as you get a new perspective than the work has done its job. Personally I would think that it asks a person several important questions, not just one or two, but several, and at the same time begins to answer them as the impact and reaction of the work takes effect.

In the end it is a great piece of work, the world needs more pieces of work like this, and if we are lucky we will benefit as a society from it. Thats art for you, it asks questions that you canot ask and gives answers that you canot give.

Asking questions or giving answers? Don't teach or preach, please. The point is that 26 artists lost their chance to take part in a good initiative because of a rascal. I am not angry because somebody presented my country as a Turkish toilet but because this man didn't have the courage to put his name on his "work of art" inventing fake identities and taking the money for himself ;) it is not called ART it is FRAUD. The idea as a whole was amusing but the performer vitiated it, which is pity. Anyway, all of us get the right to have an opinion about what the good art must be ;)
In the end I would say that I didn't see any similarities between the countries that I have visited and the way how they were presented in this "work of art"!

Entropa degrades East European countries!
David Cerny showed trivial stereotypes of some countries, and deep tragedies of other. This way he applied even stronger division of Europe.

My proposal, as Bulgarian artist, is the critical project for Cerny’s art work as well as for real Europe’s inequality, divisions and problems. This is the same time very pro-European work, thanks to which the nations and EU could pay attention to really important problems of each country and aim to solve them.

I think the deeper discussion should arise from the Cerny’s Entropa case, not only trivial provocation based on often funny for Cerny, but not seriously important stereotypes.

What do you think? This is my answer here: http://entropa2.blogspot.com/

Married to a Czech wife and think its hilarious the trouble this artist has caused. The one "STRONG" thing the Czechs and the English have in common is ours and their humour and ability to not take ourselves too seriously hence the UK is viewed as a blank space on the fringes of Europe with no real interest in all the squabbles in the middle of Europe which has sustained our democratic and much admired society from around the world for over 300 years, long may it continoue.