Maurizio Cattelan

Maurizio Cattelan (born September 21, 1960) is a renowned Italian contemporary artist known for his satirical and provocative works that challenge societal norms, politics, and religion. Self-taught, Cattelan uses humor and irony in his hyperrealistic sculptures and installations, earning him a reputation as a prankster in the art world. His notable works include America (a gold toilet), La Nona Ora (a sculpture of Pope John Paul II struck by a meteor), and Comedian (a banana duct-taped to a wall).

Cattelan has exhibited internationally, with a major retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2011. He has also been involved in publishing, co-founding the magazine Toiletpaper in 2010, known for its surreal imagery. Despite lacking formal art training, Cattelan's work is a bold commentary on the absurdities of modern life, blending humor with deeper reflections on mortality and failure.