https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hlava-franze-kafky * * Trips [aoa_logo_a] Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura! Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life. Visit Adventures Trips Highlight The Jaipur City Palace remains the home of the Jaipur royal family to this day. India * 13 days, 12 nights Delhi and Rajasthan: Colors of India from $3,960 USD A Greek Easter meal. Greece * 10 days, 9 nights Taste of Greece: Culinary Traditions & Ancient Ruins from $5,525 USD View all trips * Experiences Upcoming Experiences View All Experiences >> [blank-f2c3] New York Inside the Holographer's Laboratory [blank-f2c3] Members only Monster of the Month w/ Colin Dickey: The Ghosts of Christmas [blank-f2c3] Members only Antiques and Their Afterlives [blank-f2c3] Members only Winter Wonder: Exploring the History of Wintertime Traditions [blank-f2c3] Fort Myer The Spies of Arlington National Cemetery * Courses Upcoming Courses View All Courses >> [blank-f2c3] The Table as Canvas: Designing a Bizarro Dinner Party With Jen Monroe [blank-f2c3] Exploring Steampunk Art With Bruce Rosenbaum [blank-f2c3] Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tale Writing With Anca Szilagyi [blank-f2c3] Beyond the Human View: Experience the World Like Other Species With Annie Novak [blank-f2c3] Holidays Without the Hangover: Non-Alcoholic Drinks With Derek Brown * Places + Top Destinations + Latest Places + Most Popular Places + Random Place + Lists + Itineraries + ------------------------------------------------------------- Add a Place ------------------------------------------------------------- + Download the App Latest Places View All Places >> Entrance to replica of early 1840s stockade. Fort Bridger, Wyoming Fort Bridger 41.3180, -110.3897 View from the hilltop Ligao, Philippines Kawa Kawa Hill 13.2261, 123.5530 Once Upon a Time in The West Filming Location Mexican Hat, Utah Once Upon a Time in The West Filming Location 37.1292, -109.9735 An ancestor of the modern fire engine. Edinburgh, Scotland Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage 55.9634, -3.1840 Top Destinations View All Destinations >> Countries + Australia + Canada + China + France + Germany + India + Italy + Japan Cities + Amsterdam + Barcelona + Beijing + Berlin + Boston + Budapest + Chicago + London + Los Angeles + Mexico City + Montreal + Moscow + New Orleans + New York City + Paris + Philadelphia + Rome + San Francisco + Seattle + Stockholm + Tokyo + Toronto + Vienna + Washington, D.C. * Foods Latest Places to Eat & Drink View All Places to Eat >> The Cookhouse offers unparalleled views of the San Isabel National Forest. Tennessee Pass Cookhouse The legend of the Egopantis lives on. Head of the Egopantis Palmenti in Pietragalla Parco Urbano dei Palmenti The name for this dish roughly translates as "ladder noodles." Bun Thang 29 Hang Hanh It takes serious skill to produce the perfect banh cuon. Banh Cuon Ba Xuan * Stories + Recent Stories + All Stories + Puzzles + Video + Podcast Most Recent Stories View All Stories >> The flavor is everywhere, though for years people didn't have a specific word for it. Why We Couldn't Describe a Flavor We Taste Every Day Camp Century trench construction in 1960. Caption reads "Metal arch forms being emplaced over undercut trench." Wonder Is Everywhere: Viking Hoaxes, a Secret Nuclear Ice Base, and More From Around the Web [blank-f2c3] Podcast: Dyatlov Pass, Part 2 Skull and linen wrapping of a mummified baboon recovered from Gabbanat el-Qurud, Egypt and connected genetically to coastal Eritrea. Mummified Baboons in Egypt Point to a Long Lost Land * Newsletters * Sign In Join * Explore Newsletters * Sign In ----------------------------------------------------------------- Join * Places near me Random place Hlava Franze Kafky (Franz Kafka's Head) Prague, Czechia A bust of Franz Kafka spins in pieces, reflecting the writer's inner torment. Been Here? 2174 Want to Visit? 1471 [blank-f2c3] View all photos Basic layout of Kafka kinetic mirrored bust. Sebastian Wortys (Atlas Obscura User) [UEc] Basic layout of Kafka kinetic mirrored bust. Sebastian Wortys (Atlas Obscura User) [Rw] Random layout of Kafka kinetic mirrored bust. Sebastian Wortys (Atlas Obscura User) [MjAxNCkuan] The Kafka bust in its plaza. Jindrich Nosek (NoJin)/CC BY-SA 4.0 [Zw] David Cerny's bust of Kafka. Jindrich Nosek (NoJin)/CC BY-SA 4.0 [cGc] Snowy statue 2022-12 JFMJ (Atlas Obscura User) [NjI0LmpwZW] Fred Cherrygarden (Atlas Obscura User) [anBn] breaingram (Atlas Obscura User) [bi5qcGc] thelittleowl (Atlas Obscura User) [MS5qcGc] Night time Steven Vacher (Atlas Obscura User) [ZV9rLmpwZw] Helen (Creative Commons) [MTNCLmpwZW] rbenn250 (Atlas Obscura User) [MmQ1NWMxMz] September 2023 Michael Busch (Atlas Obscura User) [anBn] Scrambled head katielou106 (Atlas Obscura User) [YQ] Edian (Atlas Obscura User) [cGc] Statue with snow 2022-12 JFMJ (Atlas Obscura User) [cGc] Snow eyebrow 2022-12 JFMJ (Atlas Obscura User) Been Here? 2174 Want to Visit? 1471 Hlava Franze Kafky (Franz Kafka's Head) Copy Link Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard Pocket Top Places in Prague A microscope focused on the leg of a mosquito - marching across it is a near invisible menagerie of colorful animals, from cheetahs to giraffes to elephants. Museum of Miniatures Prague, Czechia --------------------------------------------------------------------- Statue of King Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Dead Horse Prague, Czechia --------------------------------------------------------------------- The Museum of Alchemists and Magicians of Old Prague Prague, Czechia See All Franz Kafka, one of Prague's most celebrated literary sons (albeit only after his death), was plagued by self-doubt and depression throughout his life. This mirrored, kinetic sculpture of the author seeks to reflect that by physicalizing the ever-turning pieces of the writer's mind. His face is only there for a moment or two before disintegrating again once the layers begin to twist. Created by artist David Cerny, the bust is composed of 42 different layers that rotate individually. Each layer is mechanized, using gears inspired by traditional Czech clockwork, like that of the famed astronomical clock. The patterns in which the layers twist are reprogrammable, meaning they can be entirely randomized, or completely orderly. The bust sits close to the insurance company in downtown Prague where Kafka worked his day job. Cerny, who is known for his provocative installation work, was so pleased with the outcome of Hlava Franze Kafky (Franz Kafka's Head), he made another in North Carolina. Rather than a famed author, he made the bust in the shape of his own head. He kept some reference to Kafka in the title though: "the Metalmorphosis." Know Before You Go Once you are in the area, there are quite a few interesting public art features in the area including Kafka who has some interesting working showing in the area: http://travelphotodiscovery.com/ pragues-public-and-street-art-scene/ mechanical instruments automata installations literature sculptures statues art Community Contributors Sebastian Wortys Added by Sebastian Wortys hrnick rbenn250 JFMJ TeaAndCoffeeLover Fred Cherrygarden Edited by hrnick, rbenn250, JFMJ, TeaAndCoffeeLover, Fred Cherrygarden See All + * E Edian * s spirit3x3 * Fred Cherrygarden Fred Cherrygarden * katielou106 katielou106 * TeaAndCoffeeLover TeaAndCoffeeLover * JFMJ JFMJ * breaingram breaingram * Michael Busch Michael Busch * rbenn250 rbenn250 * S Steven Vacher * emorata emorata * Molly McBride Jacobson Molly McBride Jacobson * thelittleowl thelittleowl * hrnick hrnick --------------------------------------------------------------------- Published January 18, 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit this listing Make an Edit Add Photos --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources * http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2016/05/ a-rotating-42-layer-sculpture-of-franz-kafkas-head-by-david-cerny / * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Kafka#Employment * http://www.businessinsider.com/ franz-kafkas-head-kinetic-sculpture-prague-2016-5 * http://www.openculture.com/2016/05/ behold-the-kinetic-39-ton-statue-of-franz-kafkas-head.html * http://www.hepcomotion.com/videos/ david-cerny-franz-kafka-sculpture-prague-featuring-hepcomotion-rings /#.WH6n-bYrIxc * http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/05/24/ this_giant_moving_sculpture_of_kafka_s_head_is_the_perfect_tribute_to_kafka.html * https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgl5gW8FGYU/?taken-by=atlasobscura * https://app.livetheworld.com/explore?country=czech-republic& activity=franz-kafka-rotating-head * https://app.livetheworld.com/activities/franz-kafka-rotating-head [blank-f2c3362333e2a7a073648cf7e50aa224b02674cd3b28b24000ca5cdc8980f] 5 Charvatova Prague, 110 00 Czechia 50.0818, 14.4212 View on Google Maps Book a hotel on Kayak Visit Website Nearby Velvet Revolution Monument 0.14 miles Statue of King Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Dead Horse 0.19 miles Man Hanging Out 0.21 miles Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member. Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member. Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member. Near This Place The memorial. Prague, Czechia Velvet Revolution Monument Nine bronze hands protruding from a wall honor the student uprising that led to the fall of Czechoslovakia's Communist government. [blank-f2c3] Prague, Czechia Statue of King Wenceslas Riding an Upside-Down Dead Horse A mocking tribute to the past and modern leadership of Prague. Man Hanging Out Prague, Czechia Man Hanging Out What looks like a suicide in progress is actually a statue of Sigmund Freud. Cloak of Conscience. Prague, Czechia 'Il Commendatore' ('Cloak of Conscience') This spooky statue sits outside a famous Prague theater. Related Places The statue in London for the Olympic games. Prague, Czechia London Booster A bus with a butt and biceps to put Olympic athletes to shame. [blank-f2c3] Anchorage, Alaska Grandma Olga Statue Pay homage to a preeminent matriarch, and the native Dena'ina people, at this sculpture installation in Anchorage. A bronze fast of a female face atop a pedestal with a lighthouse in the background New York, New York Girl Puzzle Monument An art installation commemorates journalist Nellie Bly's undercover reporting inside a New York asylum. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party Warrington, England The Mad Hatter's Tea Party In Warrington's Golden Square, it's always tea time. In partnership with KAYAK Plan Your Trip Random Place >> From Around the Web See Fewer Ads Become an Atlas Obscura member and experience far fewer ads and no pop-ups. Learn More Get Our Email Newsletter [ ] Thanks for subscribing! View all newsletters >> [Submit] Follow Us * * * * * * Get the app Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play Download the App Places * All Places * Latest Places * Most Popular * Places to Eat * Random * Nearby * Add a Place Editorial * Stories * Food & Drink * Itineraries * Lists * Puzzles * Video * Podcast * Newsletters Trips * All Trips * Trips Blog * Art & Culture Trips * Food Trips * Hidden City Trips * History Trips * Wildlife & Nature Trips * FAQ Experiences * Experiences * Online Courses * Online Experience FAQ * Online Course FAQ Community * Membership * Feedback & Ideas * Community Guidelines * Product Blog * Unique Gifts * Work With Us Company * About * Contact Us * FAQ * Advertise With Us * Advertising Guidelines * Press * Privacy Policy * Cookie Policy * Terms of Use (c) 2023 Atlas Obscura. All rights reserved. Questions or Feedback? Contact Us Thanks for sharing! Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Show More Using an ad blocker? We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the world's hidden wonders. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Continue Using Ad-Block Support Us Want a Free Book? Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders. [ ] Subscribe No Thanks Visit AtlasObscura.com Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders Stay in Touch! Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram No Thanks Visit AtlasObscura.com No purchase necessary. Winner will be selected at random on 12/01/ 2023. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). Offer subject to change without notice. See contest rules for full details. Add Some Wonder to Your Inbox Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. [ ] Subscribe No Thanks We'd Like You to Like Us Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. No Thanks [p] Quantcast **