Maurizio Cattelan: The Third Hand

Cattelan told us in an interview last year that he believes art should be incendiary. The conversations initiated because of his work could be described that way, though it may say more about culture’s obsession with enigma and shock value, and the need of the art world—and online audiences at large—to comment on everything. Is there true profound meaning to be discovered behind the pieces in Cattelan’s Stockholm exhibit? He might lead us to believe the answer is no, which begs the question as to why art media is so consumed with discussing it. His  modus operandi is often described as ‘conceptual art,’ and he is usually only responsible for a piece's ideational genesis, after which it is passed on to craftsmen for materialization.

At Moderna Museet, seven of his works are displayed, including his sculpture La Nona Ora, a rendering of Pope John Paul II lying on the ground after being hit by a meteorite, and Kaputt, five stuffed horses affixed to the wall by their necks, as if their heads have been shoved through the wall, likely inspired by the 1944 novel of the same name. Also on show is Breath, a marble sculpture of a man and a dog facing each other on the ground, representing a “subtle interplay of two species meeting on the same level.” Catellan’s famous miniature Sistine Chapel is featured, where, Moderna writes, “at least figuratively – you are bigger than God.” Visitors can also view Ghosts, Him, and L.O.V.E..

What should visitors take away from seeing these pieces on display? It’s somewhat unclear what Cattelan wants or expects from this audience, though he denies that he creates for them, saying he only wishes to challenge himself artistically. He insists he does not take himself seriously, yet only creates art when asked by a gallery or museum. It’s a murky thing to determine whether the trajectory of his career is due to raw artistic prowess or if at some point it morphed into a fame begets fame phenomenon. He’s credited as saying, “Power, whatever power, has an expiration date, just like milk.” One wonders when Catellan’s own grip on public attention will approach such a date.