Grunting and groaning. That’s the sound of the London Booster. A six-tonne mechanical marvel. A double-decker bus. Doing push-ups.
Right here before you stands David Cerny’s masterpiece. The London Booster. This isn’t just any old bus. It’s a 1958 Bristol Lodekka LD. Originally green. Serving the Isle of Wight. Then a Dutch museum. Now here. Performing its daily workout.
Cerny created this incredible sculpture for the 2012 London Olympics. He placed it outside the Czech House in Islington. A temporary home for this athletic artwork. The bus’s hydraulic arms pump. It lifts its hefty weight. A feat of engineering. A spectacle of art.
Cerny said he chose push-ups for a reason. They’re a universal exercise. For athletes. For soldiers. Even for prisoners. There is an irony. An underlying message. A bit of a laugh. He enjoys a bit of dark humor. He makes you think.
The London Booster wasn’t just a fleeting moment in London. After the games it found a permanent home. In Prague’s Chodov neighborhood. In front of the Agrofert building. A company owned by former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Agrofert sponsored the project. A very public statement.
But there’s more. Look closely. Notice the human backside. A signature Cerny touch. A bit of cheeky humor. He often uses such elements. This is not only a celebration of sports. It’s also a social commentary.
The London Booster is more than a sculpture. It’s a conversation starter. It’s an enduring symbol of Cerny’s unique style. It’s a piece of art that makes you wonder. And makes you laugh. It’s a must-see. A highlight of any Prague trip. You can even see the Tyn Church in the background. From some angles.
So take a moment. Appreciate the ingenuity. The humor. The sheer audacity of a bus doing push-ups. The London Booster. A true Prague icon.