Maurizio Cattelan

Maurizio Cattelan is an artist based in Brooklyn, NY who works in wax, taxidermy, and installation to expose institutional absurdities and power dynamics, often combining hyperrealistic figuration with dark comedy.

Cattelan prefers the designation "art worker" to "artist." Self-taught and skeptical of traditional art education, he regards practical experience and making shows as his true teachers. He works in wax, taxidermy, and installation to puncture the absurdities of institutions and power—pulling reverence down with dark comedy. His La Nona Ora depicts Pope John Paul II struck down by a meteor; Not Afraid of Love shows a life-sized elephant hidden in a white sheet, eyes peering through cut holes. His works question the production of art and power dynamics within galleries, mixing hyperrealistic wax figures and taxidermied animal installations with provocative staging. Cattelan's constant obsessions surrounding survival and success formulate a strong minimalist impetus in both his artwork and personal life.