The student who cut off a part of a military bunker was supported by the school

Brno - The Brno University of Technology supported its student Ondřej Bělica, who, as part of his thesis, cleanly cut off a section of a concrete military bunker in Vratěnín in the Znojmo region. According to a statement from the school published on the notice board, this act may appear unusual in the eyes of the public; however, it does not go against the values of Czech history.

"On the contrary, his aim was to highlight the legacy of military past and the technical execution of buildings associated with it," the school stated in its announcement.

According to today's report from Mladá fronta Dnes, Bělica's project has sparked negative reactions from enthusiasts of military history, even though the young artist had the owner's consent for the border fortification and the adjacent land, and discussed everything in advance with the mayor of Vratěnín. Bělica faced further criticism today on social media.

The student from the Faculty of Architecture and the Faculty of Fine Arts wanted to draw attention to the situation where former military bunkers are being sold off by the Czech Army as unnecessary property, while also demonstrating one of the possibilities for utilizing the so-called "řopík" in the landscape. He was inspired by post-war artists who engaged in so-called land art.

"With an architecturally thoughtful cut, I open a view from the bunker to the village of Vratěnín, while the illumination of the cut emphasizes the ingenious technology of the construction," the student stated. According to the Brno University of Technology, several similar projects have been realized in the Netherlands.

The student was supported by the property owner Jaroslav Zelinka, who bought several řopíks from the Ministry of Defense due to his interest in history, having acquired seven. "On the other hand, it must be said that a large number of these objects were created, practically thousands, and many of them have been devastated without any notice, emotion, or interest from the media," VUT quotes Zelinka in its statement. He reportedly identified with Bělica's artistic intent.