The art group Ztohoven disrupts public space with their actions

Photo: ztohoven.com

Prague - A selection of controversial works by the artistic group Ztohoven and one of its founders David Hons, who creates under the name Roman Týc:

    - The artistic group Ztohoven drew the attention of the general public in the summer of 2007 with their intervention in the broadcast of Czech Television. They "sneaked in" a simulated nuclear bomb explosion into the ČT2 Panorama program, located in the Krkonoš region. For this work, the group members received an award from the National Gallery in Prague, but they also got into conflict with the law. Eventually, the court evaluated the act as a misdemeanor, but the relevant city office rejected even that, and the artists received no punishment.
    - In the middle of last year, group members exhibited identity cards in Prague with images altered by a technique called morphing. The event was part of the project Citizen K., through which the artists aimed to highlight how easy it is to misuse private information about any person. According to the police, however, the group members committed a criminal offense by deceiving officials when requesting the issuance of the cards. Recently, prosecutors sent 12 group members to court.
    - In November of the year before last, Týc affixed sculptures of raised hands and fists with raised middle fingers to the memorial plaque at the Kaňkův Palace on National Avenue in Prague, which commemorates the events of November 17, 1989. He named the entire work There Is Nothing to Celebrate. The police investigated the case as a possible promotion of Nazism, but ultimately found no illegal conduct in it.
    - In 2003, Ztohoven members covered over 800 advertising displays in Prague's metro with white posters featuring a large black question mark. The goal of the illegal action was to "call into question the space of advertising in principle, as well as the space of specific advertising as such."
    - In January 2003, group members created a question mark by covering half of a red neon heart by artist Jiří David, which illuminated above Prague Castle at the end of President Václav Havel's term.
    - In 2007, Týc replaced the glass in 50 pedestrian traffic lights in Prague with templates featuring figures in comedic or slightly vulgar situations. For this, a court imposed a monetary fine of 60,000 crowns three years ago, which Týc refused to pay. Today, the court sentenced him to a month in prison.
    - Týc also attracted attention with the game Steal the Cop's Hat; he was also the creator of the sculpture of a burned man called Burning, which was exhibited at Wenceslas Square near the site of Jan Palach's self-immolation.
    - This September, Týc stirred controversy by creating paintings from ash, which allegedly belonged to the deceased. He exhibited them at the Dvorak Sec Contemporary gallery in Prague.