La Nona Ora

Maurizio Cattelan, born in Padua, Italy, in 1960, is a conceptual artist known for his subversive and satirical displays. He is self-taught and has no formal art training, having worked in design early in his career. Cattelan's practice often blurs the lines between art and reality, incorporating humor and surprise to critique the art world and society. His work frequently involves hyperrealistic sculptures and installations. Cattelan's career began in the early 1990s, with works such as "Stadium" (1991), a foosball table featuring real football players. He has garnered a reputation for his artistic provocations and has been described as a "joker" or "prankster" of the art world. His oeuvre includes taxidermy pieces like "Novecento" (1997), depicting a taxidermied horse, and "Bidibidobidiboo" (1996), a squirrel slumped at a table. In the late 1990s, he began creating life-size wax effigies. Other notable works by Cattelan include "Comedian" (2019), a banana duct-taped to a wall, which gained significant media attention, and "America" (2016), a fully functional solid gold toilet. He has exhibited internationally in museums and biennials, including multiple participations in the Venice Biennale. Cattelan declared a temporary retirement in 2011 but resumed his career, dividing his time between Milan and New York. His works have achieved substantial values on the secondary market.