David Cerný's Entropa Scandal and Europe XXL in Lille
In January 2009, during the Czech Republic's EU presidency, artist David Cerný unveiled 'Entropa' in the Council of the European Union's hall in Brussels. This artwork portrayed European nations through various stereotypes, such as representing Romania as a ghost train inspired by Dracula and depicting France as being on strike. A controversy erupted when Cerný misrepresented that each segment was crafted by an artist from the corresponding country, using fake pseudonyms. Unfortunately, the institutions uncovered the truth too late. Meanwhile, the Europe XXL festival took place in Lille from 14 March to 12 July 2009, featuring exhibitions like 'Istanbul, Traversée' and 'Dada East,' with artists such as Kutlug Ataman and Ion Grigorescu, emphasizing Europe’s shared cultural dialogue.
Key facts
- David Cerný installed Entropa at the Council of the European Union in Brussels in January 2009.
- Entropa depicted EU countries through stereotypes: Romania as Dracula train, Belgium as pralines, France on strike, Sweden as IKEA box.
- Cerný falsely claimed each section was by an artist from the represented country, using pseudonyms like Rogers Geboers, Helmut Bauer, Khalid Asadi, and GRAA.
- The scandal exposed institutional incompetence in contemporary art expertise.
- Europe XXL festival in Lille ran from 14 March to 12 July 2009.
- Berlin exhibition at Gare Saint-Sauveur featured Ostalgie and Inspector Derrick clichés.
- Video works by Julian Rosefeldt, Michel de Broin, and John Bock were shown at the Berlin section.
- Istanbul, Traversée at Palais des beaux-arts de Lille included Kutlug Ataman, Sarkis, Sener Özmen, and Erkan Özgen.
- Frontières Invisibles at Tri-Postal featured IRWIN, Dan Perjovschi, Maja Bajevic, Monika Sosnowska, Vadim Fiškin, Carsten Nicolai, Marjetica Potrc, and Katarzyna Kozyra.
- Video Europa at Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing presented an exhaustive video collection.
- Dada East at Musée des beaux-arts de Tourcoing traced Romanian Dada origins with Ion Grigorescu's film Box (1977).
- Robert Devriendt exhibited 38 tiny paintings (under 10 cm each) evoking David Lynch and Van Eyck.
- Hypnos at Hospice Comtesse de Lille covered spiritualism and psychoanalysis in surrealism and art brut (1900-1945).
Entities
Artists
- David Cerný
- Rogers Geboers
- Helmut Bauer
- Khalid Asadi
- GRAA (Groupe de recherche d'art audiovisuel)
- Julian Rosefeldt
- Michel de Broin
- John Bock
- Kutlug Ataman
- Sarkis
- Sener Özmen
- Erkan Özgen
- IRWIN
- Dan Perjovschi
- Maja Bajevic
- Monika Sosnowska
- Vadim Fiškin
- Carsten Nicolai
- Marjetica Potrc
- Katarzyna Kozyra
- Ion Grigorescu
- Robert Devriendt
- David Lynch
- Jan van Eyck
- Wim Delvoye
- Thibaut de Ruyter
Institutions
- Council of the European Union
- lille3000
- Gare Saint-Sauveur
- Palais des beaux-arts de Lille
- Tri-Postal
- Le Fresnoy
- Musée des beaux-arts de Tourcoing
- Hospice Comtesse de Lille
- artpress
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Lille
- France
- Berlin
- Germany
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- Tourcoing
- Bruges
- Romania
- Sweden
- Munich
Sources
- artpress —