Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Czechia Prague 'Trifot'

'Trifot'

An Orwellian sculpture with eyeball cameras watches passersby.

Prague, Czechia

Added By
Sebastián Wortys
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Trifot by David Černý.   ŠJů/CC BY 4.0
Trifot - detail   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Trifot at the Czech Photo Centre   ŠJů/CC BY 4.0
David Černý and “Trifot.”   Courtesy of Czech Photo Centre.
Trifot.   ŠJů/CC BY 4.0
Trifot.   NoJin/CC BY-SA 4.0
Trifot.   Mojmir ailing/CC BY-SA 4.0
Trifot   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Trifot   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Trifot - underneath   Sebastian Wortys / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

"Trifot" is a kinetic sculpture by Czech installation artist David Černý, who is known for his whimsical, provocative works like the babies crawling up Žižkov Tower and a bus doing push ups. This sculpture, installed outside the Czech Photo Centre gallery, offers a decidedly dark perspective on surveillance and privacy.

The 40-foot-tall statue is modeled on vintage cameras with eyeballs in place of lenses. The bulging eyes swivel about independently, watching passersby, who might be shocked to find themselves broadcast onto one of six monitors in the area. 

Černý's sculpture references the dystopian future of unchecked government surveillance in George Orwell's 1984 and the terrifying alien technology in H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. According to the artist though, it's also meant to honor the observational art of photography. Those who find themselves unwittingly filmed by Trifot might feel differently however.

Related Tags

Statues Art Machines Photography Spies David Cerny

Community Contributors

Added By

Sebastian Wortys

Edited By

Greg Jones, Molly McBride Jacobson, gasp65

  • Greg Jones
  • Molly McBride Jacobson
  • gasp65

Published

February 17, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.czechpressphoto.cz/detail-novinky/223-47/trifot/
  • http://www.askanews.it/esteri/a-praga-svetta-trifot-un-mostro-orwelliano-di-12-metri_711920428.htm
  • http://www.expres.cz/david-cerny-socha-0ey-/viral.aspx?c=A161017_150235_dx-viral_khor
  • http://www.praguemorning.cz/22106-2/
  • https://www.czechpressphoto.cz/detail-novinky/223-47/trifot/
  • http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/model+on
'Trifot'
Na Zlatě 1
Prague
Czechia
50.050747, 14.349434
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Brown-Nosers

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Strahov Monastery

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Museum of Miniatures

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Prague

Prague

Czechia

Places 82

Nearby Places

Brown-Nosers

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Strahov Monastery

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Museum of Miniatures

Prague, Czechia

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Prague

Prague

Czechia

Places 82

Related Places

  • Brown-nosers.

    Prague, Czechia

    Brown-Nosers

    The risqué mixed-media sculptures are supposedly a metaphor for Czech politics.

  • David Černý’s “Feast of Giants” bus stop shelter.

    Liberec, Czechia

    Hostina Obrů (Feast of Giants)

    An unusual bronze bus shelter is actually an art installation commenting on the city's history with the Nazi party.

  • Man Hanging Out

    Prague, Czechia

    Man Hanging Out

    What looks like a suicide in progress is actually a statue of Sigmund Freud.

  • Proudy

    Prague, Czechia

    Proudy

    This automated sculpture of two men peeing will spell out text messages with their micturition.

  • Prague, Czechia

    Statue of King Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Dead Horse

    A mocking tribute to the past and modern leadership of Prague.

  • Tampa, Florida

    Princess Ulele Statues

    Tampa’s most famous native royal comes alive in a duo of arresting bronze statues.

    Sponsored by VISIT TAMPA BAY
  • Brescia, Italy

    National Museum of Photography

    Explore the evolution of photography and cinema through historical and contemporary equipment.

  • Civitavecchia, Italy

    'Embracing Peace'

    This statue in Civitavecchia recreates a famous photograph from the end of World War II in massive scale.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.