Starting its engine for the 2012 Olympics: Artist's giant sculpture of an athlete doing push-ups, made from a 1957 London bus( R1 A" K3 H6 I0 `; [( e6 `
By Rob Preece
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A controversial artist has produced a fitting work to commemorate the 2012 Olympics - a mechanical sculpture of an athlete doing push-ups, made from a traditional London bus.5.39.217.76* R1 s" d# h& b: V
4 W' Y2 [+ g1 [- _ q, ~TVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。With two giant arms and an electrical engine, the 1957 bus has been transformed into a piece of art by Czech sculptor David Cerny.公仔箱論壇& O: c1 _& R/ y4 w9 C% _
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The work, named London Boosted, has been installed outside the Czech Olympic House in Islington, north London, to mark the Games' opening in the capital on Friday.
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Fitting: A traditional bus has been transformed into a mechanical sculpture of an athlete doing push-ups
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Taking a ride: Artist David Cerny works on the London bus he has converted into a robotic sculptureTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。( X; q* ?$ h( W3 q, c: f
2 e$ A) P2 _; q8 l5 m/ \公仔箱論壇Wiring and suspension tools help the six-tonne bus move up and down on bright red arms, raising the chassis into various angles, accompanied by recordings of a groaning voice and video projections in the windows.
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) P4 Y. p0 Y; \, O5 [1 Y# ?: B, O5.39.217.76Cerny, who bought the bus from an owner in the Netherlands, said: 'There is one common exercise for every sportsman in the world, and that is push-ups.
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/ T- M8 M! K; q* T \" ttvb now,tvbnow,bttvb'It is training for sport activities but at the same time it is also punishment in armies and prisons.
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'So the push-ups are a very universal physical activity... It is in a way very ironic.'
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# V4 u3 b) y* A) @公仔箱論壇Big push: Workers check the giant hydraulic arms on the converted London bustvb now,tvbnow,bttvb% j1 b z: J# p- U5 g9 e0 M
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Job well done: Cerny stands back and surveys his giant artwork, which is named London BoostedTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。: \- O/ k/ V6 a% A' }
3 D n. L8 J4 L0 r0 jThe sculpture is less controversial than some of Cerny's previous works, which have enraged European politicians and sought to poke fun at rival artists.
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. |* n+ \* Y7 _* X1 t% r5 U" v& \5.39.217.76In 2009, as the Czech Republic began its EU presidency, Cerny revealed a huge puzzle-like object called Entropa, which portrayed European countries in unflattering ways.5 n3 P5 X$ j5 {
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The work, installed in an EU building in Brussels, attracted protests from Bulgaria, which was shown as a squat toilet.
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3 U* @, }& o/ m% @* {2 M6 P3 K5.39.217.76Work in progress: The Czech artist built the sculpture in a factory in Praguetvb now,tvbnow,bttvb0 H& B" r0 k9 ?/ F5 q
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Celebration: Cerny, watching the scuplture's assembly from a chair at the Prague factory, hopes the bus athlete will become an unofficial mascot of the London 2012 Games. v, [2 H- F: ?, X+ `
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& P: }9 L% w8 w, H' J, o5 RUnusual: The 1957 London bus, bought from an owner in the Netherlands, has been fitted with huge arms and an electrical engine$ q" |! L/ M0 C3 ?
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In the Czech Republic, Cerny once painted pink a Soviet tank, which was serving as a monument of the Allies' 1945 liberation of Prague from Nazi control.5.39.217.765 o' r' i2 {' U4 E) o( z
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His work Shark was a statue of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein floating in formaldehyde. It was meant to poke fun at British artist Damien Hirst's embalmed shark, and was banned from exhibitions in Belgium and Poland.5.39.217.768 G( L/ I: k- u, ^
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In the 1990s Cerny also sparked controversy at an art fair by putting up large replicas of guns and posters in London, calling on people to observe a 'Day of Killing' to control population growth.tvb now,tvbnow,bttvb! T$ o5 \" S0 a7 k' v) p2 H7 `% W5 ^
; x/ y, w0 S3 r. `5 j0 C2 k _1 [5.39.217.76Cerny said of his latest work: 'We will see how long the athlete can work out for.
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'Let's hope he will exercise for the full three weeks. He will be the biggest sportsman there.'
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Controversial: David Cerny has enraged politicians and poked fun at rival artists with previous works
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In the red: Two workers paint a hand for the bus sculpture3 c# v& I) C5 u2 c5 E
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' O. ^8 V1 D/ H8 `" k3 XMen at work: A factory worker welds the hydraulics for one of the athlete's arms to the bus+ Y/ p7 ?7 ~, S5 R4 `' B. C
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Sparks fly: David Cerny cuts a component for his impressive sculpture
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2 S# u' c% ?* P, V! q. g1 b5 N/ G公仔箱論壇Rear view: Two workers prepare to paint the back of the bus
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: J" X; E) m) p8 yGrand plans: Cerny has described his project as 'very ironic'" Q7 E0 z, C: \2 X4 p9 T; h
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6 {% B: P0 }5 s' E& C7 r( S5.39.217.76Overhaul: The six-tonne bus has been transformed to mark the Games in London, which begin on Fridaytvb now,tvbnow,bttvb3 y* s6 R, ]) y9 Q Q# T+ k
3 J* G1 Y/ v7 K" ^% QTVBNOW 含有熱門話題,最新最快電視,軟體,遊戲,電影,動漫及日常生活及興趣交流等資訊。Cerny's sculpture isn't the first work of art produced for the Olympics to feature an old vehicle in an unlikely new position.公仔箱論壇. `; F! N/ |4 U2 F
Earlier this month MailOnline featured artist Richard Wilson's unusual installation of a coach perched on the toof of the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, East Sussex.5.39.217.769 w% }, R+ l6 D0 E, @8 D- ]% q+ f
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The work is inspired by the final scene of the film The Italian Job, which ends with a bus hanging precariously over the edge of a cliff.
& e* E; Q+ v5 p7 F5 D6 [0 \Mr Wilson named the installation after Michael Caine's last line in the 1969 movie - 'Hang on a minute lads, I've got a great idea...'.
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; C' j3 \' [9 M+ zOn the edge: Eddie Izzard holds the Olympic Torch in front of the Italian Job-inspired instillation by artist Richard Wilson in Bexhill, East Sussex |