David Cerny

If You Suck, Be Good at It or The Other End of Apathy = Akce (editorial Provokator #35)

events.provokator@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:43:48 -0500

From a culture that curiously revels in apathy and insignificance comes a strong reminder that when opportunity knocks...thou hast two choices, and only one of those will be worth remembering. This year The Czech Republic’s prodigal son was called upon to voice a statement of the entire E.U., David Černý and his cohorts gave them the sculpturally sarcastic, if not caustically amusing statement; Entropa.

It is Instigator Media Group’s mission to level the playing field via making fun and targeting every aspect of every country's culture. Supporting the selfless / self-centered right of freedom of expression and the burden of enlightenment that comes along with any cognizance.

Currently on display at DOX gallery (and on tour all summer), Provokátor spoke with artist David Černý and DOX co-founder and director Leoš Válka about Entropa, and opportunism.

“It’s a provocateur, it would be difficult to find something more provocative.” Válka notes, answering our query about the sculpture of stereotypes and whether exploitation is a characteristic of Czech culture, “I’m not sure about opportunistic, I think there is a streak of opportunism in the Czech psyche, and artists are generally opportunists by trade.”

So it’s [the artist] responsibility to seize the moment, “carpe diem”.
“[Artists] see themselves as minorities and they are trying to create opportunity to promote their careers, their art or their…[agenda].” Continues Válka, “I think that’s just part of the Czech mentality, I’m afraid, especially at the government level, any official, bureaucratic level. People like to delegate everything they don’t like to do anything, this is very much a result of that. They were hoping they could have a major statement at this level without any involvement, any pain – it was supposed to be a painless contribution to their interests. However this was not the case…I think that’s why it’s valuable.”

...and we agree. In order to truly transcend the bullshit one must call it out by name.

Therefore IMG proudly declares that if we have ever upset anyone, insulted them or challenged staunchly protected perceptions – you're welcome. If we have not…then we’ll try harder to irritate in future issues; but we dare you to get off your poser, lazy, pontificating ass and do it yourself.

Když saješ, buď v tom dobrej nebo Opačný konec Apatie=Akce

Z kultury která si podivně libuje v apatii a bezvýznamnosti přichází silná připomínka toho, že když příležitost zaklepe...máš na výběr ze dvou možností a jen jedna z nich bude hodná zapamatování. Letos byl vyzván marnotratný syn České republiky vyslovit prohlášení celé E.U., David Černý a jeho komplicové jim dali sochařsky sarkastické, ne-li jízlivě humorné sdělení; Entropu.

Je posláním Instigator Media Group vyrovnávat hrací pole cestou zábavy a zasahovat každý aspekt kultury všech zemí. Podporovat nesobecké / sebestředné právo na svobodu projevu a zátěž osvícení která přichází spolu s jakýmkoliv poznáním.

V současné době je Entropa k vidění v galerii DOX (a na turné po celé léto). Provokátor mluvil s umělcem Davidem Černým a spoluzakladatelem a ředitelem DOXu Leošem Válkou o Entropě, - a oportunismu.

"Je to provokatér, bylo by těžké najít něco víc provokujícího." poznamenává Válka, když reaguje na naši otázku ohledně sochy stereotypů a jestli je využívání charakteristické pro českou kulturu. "Nejsem si jistý jestli jsme oportunisti, myslím, že v české duši je rys oportunismu, a umělci jsou obecně oportunističtí prostřednictvím obchodu."

Takže je to (umělcova) zodpovědnost chytit se okamžiku, "carpe diem."

"(Umělci) vidí se jako minorita a pokouší se vytvořit šanci podpořit svoji kariéru, svoje umění nebo ...(svoje jednání)." Pokračuje Válka," Myslím že to jen jen část české mentality, obávám se, zvláště na vládní úrovni, jakékoliv úřední, byrokratické úrovni. Lidé rádi převádějí všechno co nemají rádi do dělání ničeho, tohle je do značné míry výsledkem. Doufali že by mohli mít důležité prohlášení na této úrovni bez jakékoli účasti, bez bolesti - měl to být bezbolestný příspěvek jejich zájmům. Nicméně tomu tak není... Proto myslím je to hodnotné."

... a my souhlasíme. Aby skutečně vynikl nesmysl, musí se nazvat jménem.

Proto IMG hrdě prohlašuje, že jestli jsme někdy někoho naštvali, urazili nebo vyžadovali pevně chráněné vnímání - je nám potěšením. Jestliže ne...pak se budeme tvrději pokoušet dráždit v budoucích číslech mapazinu; ale vyzýváme tě zbav se svého pozérského, líného a dogmatického zadku a udělej to sám.

Interview - David Cerny

events.provokator@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:43:47 -0500

"I would so totally "do" David Černý...." blow bubble, pop [gum], suck in with teeth, "like who wouldn't?" -Moon Unit Zappa, Valley Girl era

David Černý is charged, challenging, charming, conceited, condescending, semi-exploitive and sexy as hell. He is also down to earth, conscientious [of his potential impact], uses a mountian bike as main transport, answers his own phone and appears undaunted by public backlash.

After the unveiling of Entropa, and cries of cultural heresy subsided, we wondered if the general mood of MeetFactory would be somber and sullied or charged with flippant indigence as was the norm.

The office was bustling, attempting to beat a grant deadline, half of the room- lined floor to wall with proposals, the other half: coffee cups and ashtrays. The present quandry was there wasn't any toner left.

For the past year IMG had been cooperating with Jindra Zemanová, Director of MeetFactory (a Černý vision of international artists in residency, only recently establishing its foundation), David's studio next door would often be blaring Rage Against the Machine, as of March '09 it was eerily silent.

"Is David away on some solace sabbatical after being reamed in the European press and government opinion?" asking tepidly, like, 'as if i cared...'.

Jindra lit a cigarette, "Ach! He's in Florida!" whirling the air with her hand, "Taking aero-acrobatic lessons with airplane."

We spoke recently with David during an installation at the Dvorak Sec Contemporary Art Gallery, Group exhibition with our favorite Kristof Kintera (Dlouhá 5, P1)

Provokator: Was it your intention to piss people off?

David Černý: Not piss people off. My intention actually was first to enjoy it and I think it happened. If I look back to the Entropa installation, people were actually enjoying it, there were a lot of people laughing and there were crowds, so it was more entertaining. Overall I think the general reaction was quite positive. The first moment, the first week or first two days that was something else; people were a bit shocked.

P: When you wrote and submitted the proposal for Entropa, was it vetted or researched whatsoever...or did they just trust you? Did anybody check up on you?

DČ: The only person I heard about me in that verdict was Alexandr Vondra, the Prime Minister for European Affairs and that was it.

P: Did he check it out before it was unveiled?

DČ: He did, he saw it, he saw all the countries two weeks before we installed it. So he knew what was going on there he knew what the countries would look like, but he did not know that the designs are not someone’s else’s but the designs are mine. That was the only thing which was different, and even Prime Minister Topolanek knew exactly – he was there, in my studio, there was the delegation - not official, but all of them saw it. The only thing which wasn’t correct was there were no other artists.

P: Did you at least talk to 27 people that might have been advisory?

DČ: No, but of course we were sort of thinking about getting people there [as actors] and sort of pretend to [fulfill the] ideaology. The journalists figured out this was fake.

P: Fake or part of the design?

DČ: Not fake, the "27 artists" doesn't exist,

P: Was that part of the strategy of the conceptual piece?

DČ: Of course, of course.

P: As well as the sarcasm was part of it, if you’re gonna have freedom of expression and speech you have to suffer the consequences?

DČ: Well that’s what I’m doing – my whole life.

P: That's the hardest lesson [the consequences of freedom; given Černý's well documented expressions of perception, opinion and his innate ability to upset the status quo], it's hilarious that they expected you to stay within the lines. With your history, did they really expect you to stay within those boundaries? [meaning "any" boundaries.]

DČ: Well no, that’s the point you know, they know it will be probably a scandal. It's like … you can mock somebody- make fun of him but still stay clean yourself. Basically to explain what happened, it's just shifting the blame same as if I made fun of someone but pretended not to do it. I have just shifted it up a level, they thought they'll make fun of everybody and I kind of made fun of them a little bit. I added this one more layer to it.

P: Do you think that’s a right of the artist to do what they can to get their art done; by any means possible to achieve your goal? And is it speaking volumes supporting the stereotype that Czechs seem to be an opportunistic culture? Or is that a misrepresentation? [or a strength.]

DČ: (long thoughtful pause- [translated] i'm thinking- opportunistic isn't exactly the case it's something different…I don't know how to explain… it's complicated.

P: It's important because it's a multi-national stage for your art – the entire European Union is what you’re representing…pretty good opportunity…

DČ: ….um yes there was an opportunity and I tried.

5.6 - 9.7 DOX Nano Exhibit @ DOX Centre for Contemporary Art

editor.provokator@gmail.com — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:43:43 -0500

DOX Nano

5.6 – 9.7

LOCATION: DOX Centre for Contemporary Art

Osadní 34, Praha 7 Holešovice

WEBSITE: www.doxprague.org

COST: Free! Nothing to lose except your time

A new level for the argument of whether size really matters; featuring an array of eighteen different contributors including Federico Díaz and Alexandr Prokop, and 35 different pieces, DOX NANO promises to bring smaller-than-life subjects to a visual level. The exhibit focuses on pieces in the dimension 10ˉ9m or one-billionth of a meter, and brings together the work of scientists and Czech artists to explore the union of nanotechnology and art.

The exhibition includes educational lectures about nano structures and nano systems, guided tours of the art, as well as an installation called NanoLAB by David Černý. The art complements the occurrence of European scientific conferences in the nano world such as EuroNanoForum2009, and Prague Meetings on Macromolecules. DOX NANO aims to draw the viewer into the relatively unexamined realm of the nanocosmos, inviting them to discover their inner fascination with the ironically large possibilities of nano in technology and art. The subjects may be miniscule but the impact may just open up a whole new visual dimension.

Czech Artist - David Cerny Interview - Entropa & the British Council, Brussel

admin — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:39:47 -0500

'Entropa', a work by Czech artist David Cerny, caused a diplomatic and media stir when it was unveiled in mid January 2009 to mark the beginning of the Czech Republic's six-month presidency of the EU.

Once the dust had settled, the artist was invited by the British Council in Brussels to discuss the work at at EUNIC Club event (EUNIC stands for EU National Institutes for Culture). This video (which is divided into two parts) is a record of that discussion and was recorded on 12 March 2009