Giant babies with bar codes for faces. Have you ever seen anything quite like the Children Sculpture?
These aren’t just any babies. The Children Sculpture are the creation of Czech artist David Černý. He is known for his thought-provoking and sometimes controversial public art.
The Children Sculpture here on Kampa Island is a series of bronze figures. Eight babies crawl along the ground. Each one is missing a face. Instead, there is a bar code.
The first of these babies appeared in 1994. It was at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Later, they popped up in different places around the world.
In 2000, ten fiberglass babies were installed on Prague’s Žižkov Television Tower. These babies are much larger. Each weighed about 190 kg. People loved them so much that they became a permanent fixture in 2001.
The Žižkov Tower babies were removed for repair in 2017. New copies were made that were more durable and weighed 250 kg. They were reinstalled in April 2019.
Černý’s Babies can also be found in other places. They were on the wall of the Gevel Casino in Blankenberge, Belgium. The original tower babies were even loaned to Palm Springs, California, for two years.
Why bar codes instead of faces for the Children Sculpture? Some say it is a commentary on modern society. Are we becoming just products defined by codes? Others find the sculptures playful and intriguing.
The placement of the Children Sculpture also adds to their impact. The contrast between the innocence of babies and the industrial look of bar codes is striking. It makes you think about childhood and the future.
So, take a closer look at the Children Sculpture. What do you see? What do they make you feel? These unusual artworks are sure to spark a conversation. They are a unique part of Prague’s art scene. They invite you to ponder the world around you.