Note: The following text serves as a brief introduction to today’s episode of the Voice on the Desert podcast. It only provides an overview of a few topics discussed. To fully understand the context, it is desirable to listen to the entire episode.
Although Černý was born into an artistic family, he was fascinated by technology from an early age. Especially how it works. Perhaps that is also why, according to his own words, he is often disappointed today when he meets people from the generation of today’s twenties and thirties, some of whom have gaps in basic knowledge not only of mechanics but also of physics.
Hynek Čermák also experienced bullying first hand. Now he is fighting against her
In the interview, he also talks about his childhood, when, in addition to the aforementioned, he also enjoyed cybernetics and astronomy. His path from technology to art only changed before joining UMPRUM.
The first act, which was also noticed by the wider public, was the repainting of a tank on Kinských Square (then Square of Soviet Tankers). The action was not for its own sake, but to point out the lie that the monument itself was. Contrary to the claims of the communists, the monument was not the first tank that arrived in the still-struggling Prague in 1945, but a completely different type of tank (instead of the medium T 34 heavy IS-2m), and even a completely different tactical number (for unknown reasons instead of the I-24 the communists minted the number 23).
Instead of commemorating the heroism of Guards Lieutenant Ivan Hončarenko, who fell in Prague fighting the retreating Germans, the monument was more a symbol of the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia and its inclusion among its colonies. After David Černý’s event, the tank finally got to a worthy place, in the Military Technical Museum in Lešany, where it is the first exhibit that visitors come across.
Controversial artist status
Černé is upset by the current effort of the Ministry of Culture and some activists to introduce the status of an artist in the Czech Republic, which would make it possible to distribute funds from the state budget to people who will be declared artists. In addition, he does not understand that the government, which describes itself as fiscally responsible, is trying to enforce it.
He has deep contempt for today’s art education, whether in the Czech Republic or anywhere in the world. According to Černý, he was dominated by an ideology, often extremely left-wing, which masks various very one-sided views on how to organize people’s lives behind art. Černý recommends that if someone has a desire to create, they should study any of the “hard” fields and only then look for their own path in their creation.
The price of historical military equipment is constantly increasing. A private tank is already a bit extreme
What will also be heard in this piece:
- Why does a tinkerer or multimedia artist hate being labeled?
- Černý was convicted of disorderly conduct within a year and a half, both under the communists and in the new democracy.
- Although he is a fully qualified commercial pilot, in the end he did not join the airlines and only flies privately, with airplanes and helicopters.
- About the experience of visiting an art school in China, about completely different dimensions and understanding of art.
- How was it with the Entropa and Saddam Hussein in formaldehyde scandals?
- Why did he introduce a special increased entrance fee for left-leaning students in his Musoleum gallery in Prague?
Play today’s episode of the Voice in the Desert podcast on video or in the audio player at the beginning of the article. Please note that there are explicit expressions in today’s work.
Milan Mikulecký has experience in managerial positions in business and state administration both in the Czech Republic and abroad. He debates with his guests in front of a camera and a microphone, regardless of today’s majority opinion. The voice of the caller in the wilderness is historically an expression of when some people loudly warned others of the danger their community was getting into and were not heard in time. Every week we open a new topic.
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