Maurizio Cattelan returns to surprise the contemporary art world with an initiative that links provocation and collective participation: the artist has announced the launch of a new limited edition sculpture, accompanied by a global hunt involving collectors and fans in three international cities. The work, titled We are the Revolution, will be available in one thousand pieces and features Cattelan himself in miniature form, transformed into an entirely hand-painted sculpture. “If you never thought you could hang my effigy in your house, then that makes two of us,” says Cattelan.
As Avant Arte reports, the project is multi-layered. Three sculptures have been hidden in different locations around the world, and whoever can spot them will be crowned the winner. The first city involved is New York, where the first clue will be published on September 30. The initiative will conclude with the end of participation in the draw, set for Friday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m., when the three lucky ones who will be awarded one of the hidden sculptures will be determined. We are the Revolution is distinguished by the ironic and self-deprecating tone typical of the artist, who portrays himself as the main subject of a hand-made sculptural portrait. The idea partly echoes the philosophy already explored in his 2000 work, We are the Revolution, which recalled German artist Joseph Beuys’ famous felt suit. On that occasion, Beuys claimed that “every man is an artist,” while Cattelan reverses the concept by stating that he is not really an artist. The statement, now embodied in the new sculpture, thus combines reflection on the role of the artist in society with the usual irony that characterizes the author’s production.
Each sculpture is 23 centimeters tall and 6 centimeters wide, made of resin and hand-painted. It is intended to be installed on a single nail and, while compatible with most domestic surfaces, is not recommended on materials such as stone, brick or tile. Each piece is hand-numbered on the back, with a handwritten number guaranteeing its authenticity and a certificate signed by the artist included in the package. The total print run amounts to 1,000 pieces, which will later be shipped between July 10 and July 17, with the price set at 1,830 euros per piece. Cattelan has often challenged the conventions of the art market, playing with the concept of fame, recognition and the role of the artist. By transforming himself into a collector’s item, the author continues to interrogate the relationship between art and the public, between art object and participatory experience. The global hunt for the three sculptures thus becomes an experiment in interaction, in which collecting merges with play and a playful approach to artistic fruition.
The choice to make the artist himself the protagonist of the miniature also recalls the tradition of portraiture, but with a deliberately parodic approach. The sculpture seems to place itself between the portrait and the ready-made, ironically revealing the vanity implicit in the role of creator and the social perception of the artist as an icon. The work is thus placed in a critical vein, in which formal play coexists with conceptual reflection, making each specimen more than just a display object: a reflection on the figure of the artist himself. The operation, as is often the case in the artist’s productions, provokes questions about the boundary between artistic creation and experiential marketing. The use of the miniature and the reproduction of the self as a collectible object create a short-circuit between personal identity and public image, presenting a critical, yet playful reading of the artist’s position in contemporary society. The whole initiative confirms Cattelan’s focus on experimentation, dialogue with the public and ability to generate attention through unconventional ways.
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