Prague, Czech Republic – An effigy featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin sitting naked on a golden toilet has gone to auction in the Czech Republic, CTK reported.
Lasting until December 20, the public auction was launched online on the Twitter account of the Kaputin collective, the activist group responsible for the papier-mâché statue.
Created before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Putin effigy “Naked Killer” was first displayed in April 2021 and installed in several locations, including in front of the Russian embassy in Prague whose fence had also been decorated with golden toilet brushes.
It was initially meant as a critique of the Russian regime and President Putin’s lavish and luxurious lifestyle, as exposed by opposition leader Alexey Navalny in late 2020.
The dummy itself underwent successive transformations since its creation. A smaller statue of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was for instance added on Putin’s laps after the former’s violent crackdown against anti-regime protesters.
After Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February, the initial paper roll was replaced by a miniature washing machine to symbolise the looting by Russian soldiers.
A small figurine of a civilian in a body bag was later added after the discovery of mass graves in Bucha, and a “Z” gold chain also now hangs around Putin’s neck.
The starting price has been set at €10,000, and all proceeds will be used to purchase a combat drone for the Ukrainian armed forces, the group said.
Kaputin artist Otakar van Gemund said that the statue was meant to expose “the evil of the Kremlin regime in all its nakedness” and “degenerate luxury”.
“I wanted to portray Putin naked in combination with the golden toilet as a symbol of the perversity of the Russian regime”, van Gemund explained to Radio Prague.
“But it’s also an allusion to the emperor’s new clothes, to show that we do not need to be afraid of Putin, that he pretends to be something which he isn’t – the all-powerful leader of a nation – but in reality, he is just a Mafia boss and a pretender.”
Kafkadesk 
Prague, Czech Republic – An effigy featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin sitting naked on a golden toilet has gone to auction in the Czech Republic, CTK reported.
Lasting until December 20, the public auction was launched online on the Twitter account of the Kaputin collective, the activist group responsible for the papier-mâché statue.
Created before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Putin effigy “Naked Killer” was first displayed in April 2021 and installed in several locations, including in front of the Russian embassy in Prague whose fence had also been decorated with golden toilet brushes.
It was initially meant as a critique of the Russian regime and President Putin’s lavish and luxurious lifestyle, as exposed by opposition leader Alexey Navalny in late 2020.
The dummy itself underwent successive transformations since its creation. A smaller statue of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko was for instance added on Putin’s laps after the former’s violent crackdown against anti-regime protesters.
After Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February, the initial paper roll was replaced by a miniature washing machine to symbolise the looting by Russian soldiers.
A small figurine of a civilian in a body bag was later added after the discovery of mass graves in Bucha, and a “Z” gold chain also now hangs around Putin’s neck.
The starting price has been set at €10,000, and all proceeds will be used to purchase a combat drone for the Ukrainian armed forces, the group said.
Kaputin artist Otakar van Gemund said that the statue was meant to expose “the evil of the Kremlin regime in all its nakedness” and “degenerate luxury”.
“I wanted to portray Putin naked in combination with the golden toilet as a symbol of the perversity of the Russian regime”, van Gemund explained to Radio Prague.
“But it’s also an allusion to the emperor’s new clothes, to show that we do not need to be afraid of Putin, that he pretends to be something which he isn’t – the all-powerful leader of a nation – but in reality, he is just a Mafia boss and a pretender.”