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All Czechia Olomouc 'The Thief'

'The Thief'

A cheeky reminder about the value of art dangles above one of Olomouc's busiest streets.

Olomouc, Czechia

Added By
Tomáš Kreuzinger
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‘The Thief’   Michal Maňas
‘The Thief’   Michal Maňas
‘The Thief’   thomasvanderkruis / Atlas Obscura User
‘The Thief’   thomasvanderkruis / Atlas Obscura User
‘The Thief’   thomasvanderkruis / Atlas Obscura User
‘The Thief’   thomasvanderkruis / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Erected along the facade of the Olomouc Museum of Art is a sculpture that draws crowds and certainly confuses locals.

Erected in 2017, the installation features a robber escaping the museum with a prized piece of art in his rucksack. It also features various mechanisms that allow the sculpture to move and shout down to visitors as he dangles. It was created as a message to how often we are unaware of our daily surroundings. 

The sculpture appears to be composed of metal, yet it's actually comprised of patinated fiberglass. The installation was also Černý's premiere. The robber has a famed sculpture of Karel Nepraš in his bag, a tribute to the late Czech sculptor. The statue moves along the ledge once every hour. The voice used for the statue is that of well-known Czech singer David Koller, who is Černý's friend. 

Embodying the value of art, art fraud, and robberies, the work is provocative and designed to make people stop and ponder. 

Related Tags

Museums Outsider Art Sculptures Art

Know Before You Go

The sculpture hangs above ground and is easily reachable from the main square. It's located virtually on the Republic Square, where several trams stop.

Community Contributors

Added By

thomasvanderkruis

Published

August 26, 2020

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  • https://www.turistika.cz/mista/olomouc-nebezpecny-lupic-na-budove-muzea-umeni/detail
  • http://www.muo.cz/en/follow-us/the-robber-by-david-cerny-is-on-the-museum-of-modern-art--1743/
  • https://news.expats.cz/art/czech-artist-david-cerny-unveils-his-latest-scuplture-this-weekend/
'The Thief'
824 Denisova
Olomouc, 779 00
Czechia
49.59604, 17.256258
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Mausoleum of Yugoslav Soldiers

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Olomouc, Czechia

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Olomouc

Olomouc

Czechia

Places 8

Nearby Places

Mausoleum of Yugoslav Soldiers

Olomouc, Czechia

miles away

Bunker of Civil Defence (Kryt Civilní Ochrany)

Olomouc, Czechia

miles away

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Olomouc, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Olomouc

Olomouc

Czechia

Places 8

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