Mother
1999
Cibachrome print face mounted on Plexiglas
156.2 x 122 cm
Maurizio Cattelan's photograph Mother, which is in the Pinault Collection, is a trace of his performance piece at the opening of the 48th Venice Biennale in 1999. The Italian artist asked an Indian fakir to bury himself leaving only his hands, motionless and joined in a gesture of prayer, above the ground. This strong, open image allows him to explore spirituality, hope, eternity and agony while paying tribute to his mother, who died at an early age.
Cattelan was born in 1960 in Padua, Italy, where religious aesthetics are omnipresent. "What interests me in art is the idea of permanence, an image that outlives us, something that goes beyond our own death," he says. Often described as neo-pop, especially the sculptures, his provocative, unexpected works ask viewers questions.
Cattelan's photograph Mother was presented by the Pinault Collection in 2009 during the "Qui a peur des artistes ?" (“Who’s Afraid of Artists?”) show at the Palais des Arts in Dinard.
Cattelan was born in 1960 in Padua, Italy, where religious aesthetics are omnipresent. "What interests me in art is the idea of permanence, an image that outlives us, something that goes beyond our own death," he says. Often described as neo-pop, especially the sculptures, his provocative, unexpected works ask viewers questions.
Cattelan's photograph Mother was presented by the Pinault Collection in 2009 during the "Qui a peur des artistes ?" (“Who’s Afraid of Artists?”) show at the Palais des Arts in Dinard.
Exhibitions
© Maurizio Cattelan
