EU art

[katafei]

Apparently it's tradition for the new president of the EU to adorn the building in Brussels with local art.
The Czechs managed to insult almost everyone else....

The French were 'not amused'

Holland is the little country covered by waters. Only minarets stick out.
A wry smile and a 'it's slightly exaggerated...' was the only comment, I think

[caroline]

Well, the problem is also that the Czech president is not well known for being proEuropean... So, it might have increased the strength of reactions.

The French government was "not amused", which can be understood, as the strike cliché is a bit worn out, and not supported by data , on a long period or more short and recent one (Italy is more conflictual, for instance, as Greece is, and Nordic countries are quite conflictual too...). Though one has to admit that some french strikes are quite embarassing (transportation strikes, for instance, which are relatively frequent).

Anyway, as a user of EU institutions, I must say that it might have embarassed me to go to work in the building with that at its entrance, but I think I would probably have laughed it out.

[hyperconjugated]

Ridiculous. Somehow various EU officials etc. have time to get offended over some stupid art display rather than doing actual WORK, like turning the gas heating back on for most of east Europe.

[Gundaetiapo]

They should have done France up with the LHC. I'm looking forward to some of the news releases to come from there this summer.

[caroline]

They should have done France up with the LHC. I'm looking forward to some of the news releases to come from there this summer.

Well, it's not French, since LHC is CERN's... and we could have had a problem with Switzerland, since it's physically cross-border...

Ridiculous. Somehow various EU officials etc. have time to get offended over some stupid art display rather than doing actual WORK, like turning the gas heating back on for most of east Europe.

No politics, here, right?

[JaySee]

I like it! A little bit of self-mockery every now and then can't hurt, I think. Although it does kind of have a serious undertone as well...

[two_heads_talking]

What! art and politics in the same conversation? OH my, that's just appoling. It's not like artists haven't been making political statements since there was art.

Not being European, I have no idea what all the hullabaloo is all about, as I can't even pretend to understand what any of the undertone is or what the real meaning to it is either..

Personally, I find the art uninspiring and rather boring.

[JaySee]

Not being European, I have no idea what all the hullabaloo is all about, as I can't even pretend to understand what any of the undertone is or what the real meaning to it is either..

Personally, I find the art uninspiring and rather boring.

Well obviously you're going to think it's boring if you don't understand it.

They're sculptures in the European Council building (the EU headquarters) in Brussels, mocking each country of the European Union by pointing at stereotypes. I guess it could be compared to having a similar sculpture aimed at the United States placed in the U.S senate building.

[katafei]

Yeah, I would have thought most of the underlying meanings are pretty obvious, and some are pretty direct. I agree with JaySee that if you rate this as boring, you certainly didn't have a good look...
But maybe that's because we are European ^_^
You may want to check out the German highways, for one.
And Caroline, let it console you that Britain isn't on the sculpture at all

[john2]

Wait the leaders are all to distracted too ruin peoples lives .