Maurizio Cattelan

                                                           “Maurizio Cattelan”

   

      Maurizio Cattelan - conceptual art genius, or wolf in sheep’s clothing? The documentary “Maurizio Cattelan”, a Maura Axelrod Production, leads one to believe that Cattelan is the designer behind the artwork, and he is either a genius or a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  This film covers the multifaceted artwork and life of Maurizio Cattelan.

 

     The film is constructed by images of his works, and interviews from family members, co-workers, and the artist himself. These constructs create a timeline of his life and artworks. The interviews show that Cattelan is not really close to anyone. It also shows that he is so removed from the public eye, he has employed someone to impersonate him. This and other exploits are well documented in this movie. These examples raise the question, genius or wolf in sheep’s clothing? Canttelans work in the documentary was shown and filmed in detail. The narrative and humor of each piece was discussed in the film. The pieces were found to be repulsive but riveting.

     

     The movie discussed Cattlelan the artist and his work ethic and habits. I learned that he is a conceptual artist and doesn’t actually build his pieces, but he is meticulous in his designs. I discovered that he duped the art world by holding a fake biennial and even received backing. In viewing the film, I also learned that he has a way of charming people and can persuade them to do what he wants, like the hanging retrospective sculpture at the Guggenheim.   

 

     I learned a lot, not only about Maurizio Cattelan as a person and artist but about conceptual art and the meaning behind it. I would recommend this video because I saw what the true meaning of conceptual art is and the importance of Cattelan to the art world.