Why on earth would anyone want to stick their head inside that…? You might find yourself asking that very question as we stand here, before the rather imposing Brown-nosing Statue. Tucked away in the back garden of the Futura art museum, this isn’t your typical tourist attraction. Two gigantic, naked rear ends, bent over as if peering into the museum itself. This is the work of David Černý, a Czech sculptor known for his controversial, thought-provoking, and often humorous pieces scattered around Prague.
The Brown-nosing Statue, erected in 2003, is about 17 feet tall and far from subtle in its message. Černý intended this installation as a satirical jab at Czech politics, specifically targeting two figures: President Václav Klaus and the then-director of Prague’s National Gallery, Milan Knížák. While the figures might seem uninviting at first glance, the Brown-nosing Statue is actually interactive.
Yes, you saw that right – interactive. See that ladder? It leads right up to the…well, you can guess. Those brave enough to climb will find themselves face-to-face with a television screen embedded deep inside. The screen plays a video of President Václav Klaus and Milan Knížák engaged in a rather unusual activity: spoon-feeding each other a gruel-like substance to the resounding soundtrack of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.” A bizarre, slightly unsettling, and undeniably unforgettable experience, much like Czech politics, perhaps?