It appears that Czech president Vaclav Klaus is having a bit of a meltdown! Despite the government’s objections, Marketa Jachimova – a sculpture student at Prague’s Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (AAAD) – has followed through with one of her controversial final projects: an ice bust she sculpted of the president’s head and left to melt in the Liechtenstein Palace garden (a government space). Scheduled as part of an AAAD student exhibition, this art project is Jachimova’s impassioned reaction to President Klaus’ heated, and quite dubious, views on global warming.
The icy sculpture was made in direct response to Klaus’ criticism of the theory on global warming. A seemingly innocent figure formed in his likeness, government officials were not too pleased with its sudden appearance on the palace grounds. When Jachimova first showed up to place her sculpture on the garden fountain, she was promptly asked to leave the premises by an on-duty civil servant. However, undeterred, as reported by the Czech news site Aktualne.cz, Jachimova quickly refuted, “I am a young artist and I will stage a happening here.” With the country’s stalwart history of venerable political protest, this was one statement not to be taken lightly. The employee helplessly conceded, and Jachimova was allowed to place her work upon the fountain.
Nice art work!