David Černý Unveils New Tank on 50th Anniversary of Soviet Invasion

One of the most famous images to emerge from the post-Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia now has a cousin to mark the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion of the country.

In 1991, provocative Czech artist David Černý painted the the Monument to Soviet Tank Crews, a memorial at Prague’s Náměstí Kinských (Kinský Square) that for many represented the tank-led Soviet invasion of the country that crushed Prague Spring in 1968, bright pink.

Černý was arrested for his act, and the paint removed – – but the tank was painted pink a second time by Czech members of parliament in protest. It’s been pink ever since, and has become one of the most memorable images associated with the Soviet Invasion of Prague – and one of the most famous pieces by Černý, now an internationally-renowned artist.

Today – August 21, 2018 – marks the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia.

And early this morning, Černý covertly deployed a little something special at the former location of the Monument to Soviet Tank Crews.

The new tank piece, unnamed as of yet, is not pink but a classic green color. And it isn’t a full tank, but rather only the rear end, with the full body apparently buried underneath Kinský Square in Prague 5.

“End of fun,” Černý wrote on Facebook. “Pink is over…”

“Temporarily placed…” the artist stated in another post. “So they said…”

“They have a permit for today and tomorrow,” said Prague 5 spokesperson Jakub Večerka. “He has asked us for permission to shoot, and there will be a tank.”

If you want to see Černý’s newest tank yourself, you might have to head out to Náměstí Kinských today or tomorrow.