Laughing about Czech irony

Commissioned by the Czech government to mark the beginning of its EU presidency and created by artist David Černý, the installation "Entropa" is a provocative representation of the countries of the EU. Spain is depicted as a concrete surface with a cement mixer on top. El País is delighted with this ironic twist in Czech tradition: "In creating his work Černý made use of the irony and humour that has a long tradition in Czech culture (this is the homeland of Bohumil Hrabal, Jaroslav Seifert and Kafka, even if the latter wrote in German) yet managed to avoid the tackiness or venerable banality that tends to mar this type of art. Thus, the Czech semester begins with a healthy smile. We extend it a warm welcome."

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