Stir over artwork in Brussels

From Radio Praha:

Shock, anger, laughter at David Černý “art hoax” in Brussels

David Černý has been called the enfant terrible of the Czech art world, and so when the government commissioned him to oversee an installation for the EU Presidency, several eyebrows were raised. Earlier this week a brochure containing sketches of the piece was distributed by the Czech EU Presidency, who initially praised the artwork, saying the best way to destroy Europe's prejudices was to laugh at them. That was before they saw the finished result, which went on display on Monday.
The giant sculpture, called Entropa, shows the EU's 27 members as larger-than-life plastic parts of the sort used in modelling kits. Each represents a country according to the crudest national stereotypes. Bulgaria is depicted as a Turkish squat-toilet, Germany is shown as a network of motorways which faintly resembles a swastika, while Denmark appears - at a distance at least - to be a rendition of the Prophet Mohammed caricature in Lego.

Three (3!) stories and a slideshow at the Grauniad: Why the EU artwork is not what it seems, David Cerny's EU artwork might be a hoax, but it is still art, and EU artwork shines new light on member countries.