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Indepth Arts News:
"Maurizio Cattelan"
1999-10-15 until 1999-11-21
Kunsthalle Basel
Basel, ,
CH Switzerland
At this years biennial art festival in Venice, Maurizio Cattelan
caused a stir with a meditating fakir he had brought back from
India to Europe for this purpose. In the midst of the big and hectic
art event he created a moment of peace and spirituality, and at the
same time he served the lust of the opening-day public for the
extraordinary. Cattelans appearance in a museum context has
most of the time anarchistic traits. Instead of following everybodys
expectations by decorating exhibition halls with exhibits, he
stages living and flowing events. He either approaches the realm
of performance or of stage-management, and thereby assigning
visitors the role of actors.
The work of the artist is never principally about formal or stylistic
questions. It is content and meaning which make the essence of
his works. For the Kunsthalle Basel, the artist elaborated a project
which he developed once again directly from the context of the
place itself: On the one hand, Cattelan refers to the tradition of the
Kunsthalle which is characterized by the artists who presented
their works in these halls before him. On the other hand, he refers
to Basels history, to the cultural, religious and spiritual character
of this Reformers City. As usual, a certain surprise aspect serves
as an integrated part of his work.
Maurizio Cattelan was born in Padua in 1960, he lives and works
in New York.
> The work of the artist is never principally about formal or stylistic
questions. It is content and meaning which make the essence of
his works. For the Kunsthalle Basel, the artist elaborated a project
which he developed once again directly from the context of the
place itself: On the one hand, Cattelan refers to the tradition of the
Kunsthalle which is characterized by the artists who presented
their works in these halls before him. On the other hand, he refers
to Basels history, to the cultural, religious and spiritual character
of this Reformers City. As usual, a certain surprise aspect serves
as an integrated part of his work.
Maurizio Cattelan was born in Padua in 1960, he lives and works
in New York.
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