Offended Czech Artist David Cerny Scorns Bulgaria Invitation

Society | October 10, 2009, Saturday // 10:25
Bulgaria: Offended Czech Artist David Cerny Scorns Bulgaria Invitation David Cerny says he does not feel welcome in Bulgaria. Photo by EPA/BGNES

David Cerny, the Czech art world enfant terrible, who triggered a heated controversy with a planned participation in an exhibition at the Bulgarian town of Plovdiv, has given up plans to visit the country, saying he is offended.

The artist, who depicted Bulgaria as a Turkish toilet at an installation in Brussels called "Entropa", has told the organizers of the event he does not feel welcome in Bulgaria.

He has even turned down the invitation for a meeting by Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who defended the artist, saying Bulgaria is a democratic country and “does not censor any expression of artists and intellectuals.”

David Cerny was invited to Bulgaria by local curator Emil Mirazchiev, who will unveil on October 10 the exposition “European art 20 years after the Iron Curtain”.

Slavcho Atanasov, Mayor of Bulgaria’s second largest city Plovdiv, however banned Cerny's upcoming exhibit on the heels of protests by municipal councilors from the nationalist Ataka party.

The Czech Republic, which recently gave up the six-month presidency of the European Union, and Bulgaria are still reeling from the scandal caused by Cerny's satire of European stereotypes in an eight-ton mosaic of the bloc's 27 nations called "Entropa" last January.

The piece, which was installed at the European Council building in Brussels, was supposed to proudly display unique traits of each country in the union. Instead, it depicted Bulgaria as a Turkish toilet, Catholic Poland as a group of priests raising a gay flag and Germany as a network of motorways eerily resembling a swastika.

Only Bulgaria protested against the way it has been depicted, which resulted in the toilet being draped in a black veil, making it even more visible.

It is believed that Cerny planned to put on stage at the upcoming exhibit namely this black cloth.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Society » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: David Cerny, Slavcho Atanasov, Ataka, Entropa, Brussels, European Presidency, Czech, Boyko Borisov

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria