David Černý's Artocalypsa Debuts at Venice's Teatro Fondamenta Nuove
Czech sculptor David Černý presents his first Venetian solo exhibition, Artocalypsa, at Teatro Fondamenta Nuove from May 6 to November 6, 2026, coinciding with the 61st Venice Biennale. The show spans over thirty years of his career, featuring works that use black humor and provocation to critique power, fear, and representation. Highlights include a reduced version of Entropa (2009), the controversial collective hoax for the Czech EU presidency; Pistole (1993), monumentalizing weapons; a hyperrealistic breathing chair evoking nuclear devastation; and monumental portraits of Leonardo da Vinci, Wernher von Braun, and Robert Oppenheimer questioning genius and responsibility. A new video installation juxtaposes a monkey wielding a bone with an advancing aircraft carrier, tracing humanity's link to weapon evolution.
Key facts
- David Černý's solo exhibition Artocalypsa runs from May 6 to November 6, 2026 at Teatro Fondamenta Nuove in Venice.
- The exhibition coincides with the 61st Venice Biennale.
- It covers over thirty years of Černý's career.
- A reduced version of Entropa (2009) is included, originally a collective hoax for the Czech EU presidency.
- Pistole (1993) amplifies the aesthetic seduction of weapons at monumental scale.
- A hyperrealistic breathing chair evokes a short circuit between domestic comfort and nuclear devastation.
- Monumental portraits of Leonardo da Vinci, Wernher von Braun, and Robert Oppenheimer explore genius and responsibility.
- A new video installation shows a monkey with a bone and an aircraft carrier, symbolizing the evolution of human violence.
Entities
Artists
- David Černý
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Wernher von Braun
- Robert Oppenheimer
Institutions
- Teatro Fondamenta Nuove
- Venice Biennale
- European Union
Locations
- Venice
- Italy