Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Entropa

A Czech sculptor with a sense of humour. David Cerny's vision of Europe has raised some hackles in Brussels and elsewhere. From ceskenoviny.cz:

Austria, well-known for its strict anti-nuclear stance, is presented as a country full of nuclear power plant towers, Germany is shown as a paradise for highway fans, the Netherlands is flooded by the sea of which only tops of minarets stick out, the British author cut out the UK from the European map to hint at the Britons´ dubious relations to the EU, the map of France is covered with the inscription "Strike!," and Sweden looks like an IKEA box with the Gripen fighters.

"It is great, I think that it represents (particular countries) very well," Silvio, an Italian employee of the EU Council, commented on the artifact.

"You have a sense of humour," said a Bulgarian employee of a European institution with a smile, while looking at the map of Bulgaria with a big Turkish toilet.

The BBC's Mark Mardell has more here.

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