OAI Open Art Blog

A little hint about life

Maurizio Cattelan was born on 21 September 1960 in Padova. He does not attend any academy and art school, so he realizes his works completely by himself. His artistic career began in the Eighties in the city of Forlì, in Emilia Romagna. He enrolled in an industrial technical institute and for the need to become independent and to work. While waiting to graduate, he carries out a series of jobs as a gardener, waiter, aerialist, postman. Subsequently, after attending a nursing course, he is hired in the hospital. In the meantime (to pass the time) he cuts and assembles pieces of metal creating particular compositions and sends photos of his compositions to galleries around the world. The first gallery to accept his proposed works is the Neo of Bologna.

“Comedian”

Comedian is a work that reflects on human and social behaviour, the aim is to present the whole world as simple as a 30-cent banana bought on the market can completely change its meaning and value if the context that surrounds it is changed (In this case the context is an exhibition). It is not the first time that Cattelan has used natural and “live” elements for his works a few years earlier, in fact, hung on the wall (with the same ribbon used for the banana) his first art dealer: Massimo De Carlo, who at the end of the exhibition he was admitted to the emergency room because he was exhausted and exhausted. The work is recent and has made Cattelan known to the whole world and not only to the niche of art critics and lovers. if you want to know more you can always look for the “Comedian” work on this blog where you can read a much more detailed analysis.

L.O.V.E – “THE FINGER”

The work depicts a huge marble hand intent on the fascist salute but with all the fingers cut off, except the middle one. The bad sign seems to refer both to the architecture of the twenty years of Palazzo Mezzanotte (which is right in front of the work) and to the world of finance that this building represents; in this sense, the sculpture has been associated with the themes of the great recession and the protest against high finance, a connection that Cattelan never explicitly stated. It was inaugurated on 24 September 2010 by the mayor of Milan at the time, Letizia Moratti.

“THE NINTH HOUR”

The very particular work depicts Pope John Paul II hit and knocked down by a meteorite. The title is an evangelical reference. In fact, in ancient times the hours of working days were counted from six in the morning: the ninth hour therefore corresponds to 15 in the afternoon, when it is assumed that Christ died on the cross. this sculpture was sold in 2001 by the Christie’s auction house, for the sum of 886 thousand dollars. The work expresses the fact that the pope, whatever happens to him, remains firmly attached to his pastoral.

“HIM”

The work consists of the representation of Hitler with the body of a child, kneeling in prayer with shining and moved eyes. The sculpture was exhibited in several museums and in 2012 an installation was dedicated to it in the Warsaw ghetto. The work was auctioned in May 2016 for over $ 17 million. The message of the sculpture is to remember that evil is not always evident and hides everywhere. With his small and childish size, defenceless and vulnerable position, Cattelan represents Hitler as an example of failure.

Thank you for visiting this article!