The art of pissing people off: Controversial artist David Cerny creates sculptures full of defiance and humor

“The authorities there mostly hate me. The feeling is mutual,” he said.

Anti-authoritarianism is a consistent theme throughout his oeuvre. His sculptures are wary of powerful people. Historically, media has been used to glorify leaders and countries. From Michelangelo’s “David” to the Soviet Tank Corps Memorial, statues legitimize authority and make it visible.

Destroying statues has been around for thousands of years as a method of choice to criticize governments and demonstrate the overthrow of old guard. The ancient Egyptians even believed that removing the nose from a statue would render the corresponding soul unable to breathe, while cutting off the ears would render it deaf to prayers.

Cerny similarly uses sculpture to question viewers’ perceptions of the sacred. He has been outspoken in interviews about his dissatisfaction with the resurgence of fascism around the world, and his fight against fascism has been a consistent refrain in his art.

“Unfortunately,” he says, “I’m not a rock star. If I were, I’d probably be writing protest songs. So instead, I use my medium. To me, every piece has a message. So, generally speaking, in some cases I’ve probably included a pretty hardcore political statement in the art. I’ll probably continue to do that.”

Humor and surrealism play an important role in the catharsis that humanizes the message. “I think the humor – or maybe the sarcasm – amplifies the message. Hopefully.”

“Brown Nose” epitomizes this approach. His 17-foot-tall sculpture, created in 2003, is a permanent installation in the back garden of Futura, a free contemporary art space in Prague. After passing through the underground tunnel, visitors will find themselves in front of a large white wall.

Two torsos protrude from the wall, supported by huge legs. Between each set of legs is a ladder that leads to a hole in the center of the back of the statue. Visitors are supposed to stick their heads in the hole and watch a video of the two politicians feeding each other while Queen’s “We Are the Champions” plays.

Unfortunately, I’m not a rock star. If so, I might write protest songs. So I use my medium. For me, every piece has a message. “

This sense of play and love of interaction pervades his work. 2004’s Pee-wee is another example. “Piss” is located outside the Kafka Museum and features two nude bronze statues standing in a pool shaped like the border of the Czech Republic. The naked men faced each other, holding their respective members, shooting water into the pool and writing quotes from politicians. (The figures themselves are motorized and can realistically simulate urination.)

Viewers, if they wish, can have fun by texting to numbers posted nearby. These characters will illuminate the letter and automatically return to their political-civic duties. Regardless of its content, Cerny’s new work is rarely controversial, sparking as much support and praise as calls for its removal.

The original ideas for these works and the process of realizing them are as unique as the artists themselves.

“The process of making each sculpture is completely different, even from one piece to the next,” Cerny said. “Like, sometimes you might wake up after having perfect sex and the idea pops into your head. Then, sometimes you have to spend weeks working on a problem. For me, the best inspiration is usually a looming deadline.”

Lately, new projects and expanding his artistic practice have taken up much of his time. A project in Qatar is awaiting installation, while a major project in Los Angeles is underway. His new architecture firm, Black’n Arch, has two or three “crazy architectural projects” lined up for Prague.

“Most architectural projects are secretive at the moment,” he says, “but there’s a lot going on. But I definitely oscillate between architecture and sculpture and other things. To be honest, if I couldn’t keep going back to sculpture, I’d probably get bored.”

In the distant future, Cerny hopes to one day realize a project: a public sculpture in New York City. He fondly recalls his years living in Manhattan. Despite his heartfelt ties to the boroughs, the quintessential metropolis failed to claim his work in the public realm.

“I’m still waiting for an offer from my beloved New York City,” Cerny said. “I thought it had to be big – a big, dynamic piece about the energy of the Big Apple!”*

This article was first published in Issue 53 of Hi-Fructose. Get our latest issue and support our work by subscribing to Hi-Fructose here.