Europa, Entropa

The Czechs comissioned David Cerny to create a sculpture commemorating their presidency of the EU, symbolizing Europe without borders.

Entitled Entropa, each country is symbolized by whatever first comes to mind when thinking of a country, reflecting stereotypes and reductions.

Mr. Cerny presented the piece as the work of 27 artists, one from each country. But it was all a huge hoax.

After being challenged by reporters this week, Mr. Cerny admitted that he and two of his friends constructed the whole thing themselves, making up the names of artists, giving some of them Web sites and writing pretentious, absurd statements to go with their supposed contributions.

For example, next to the piece for Italy — depicted as a huge soccer field with little soccer players on it — it says, “It appears to be an autoerotic system of sensational spectacle with no climax in sight.”

The fake British entry, a kit of Europe in which the piece representing Britain has been taken out, says, “This improvement of exactness means that its individual selective sieve can cover the so-called objective sieve.”

Click here for a slideshow of the sculpture, including Germany crisscrossed with Autobahns to form... well, you'll see.