Caterpillar of Early Capitalism, Steel sculpture in Zlín, Czech Republic

The Caterpillar of Early Capitalism is a steel sculpture approximately 10 meters tall with a segmented form resembling a giant caterpillar. The artwork features a smooth metallic surface and is constructed to withstand weather conditions.

Kurt Gebauer designed the sculpture in 1997 for the spot at Vítězné náměstí in Prague-Bubeneč where a statue of V. I. Lenin had stood. It was made in 2001 for an exhibition in Zlín and shown there in front of the House of Art. In 2003 it stood on Wenceslas Square during the sculpture festival, then moved to the Mayrau mining museum near Kladno. In 2020 it was placed before the Veletržní Palace in Prague 7, and from March to 22 November 2021 it stood temporarily on the grass at Vítězné náměstí. It is now permanently in Zlín.

The sculpture's name reflects the economic shifts that occurred in the Czech Republic after communism ended. It replaced a Lenin statue and now serves as a point where visitors and locals discuss contemporary art and economic change.

The sculpture is now permanently installed in Zlín in front of the House of Art (Dům umění), not in Prague. Its six-month loan to Prague 6's Vítězné náměstí ended when it was dismantled on 22 November 2021, so visitors heading to the Czech capital will not find it there.

The sculpture was loaned to Prague 6 free of charge for six months and stood on grass because its original stone plinth had already been removed. It was taken down on 22 November 2021, and its permanent home is in Zlín, in front of the House of Art.