Maurizio Cattelan was born in 1960 in Padua, Italy. He lives and works in New York, USA.

As a self-taught artist, Cattelan transitioned from his career as a furniture maker to pursue art in 1989. His early works often critique the personalities and conventions of the art world, establishing him as a conceptual “enfant terrible”. Cattelan rose to international prominence in New York with his controversial piece La Nona Ora (The Ninth Hour) in 1999, featuring a wax statue of Pope John Paul II struck by a meteorite, initially showcased at Kunsthalle Basel.

Renowned for his bold and often provocative approach, Cattelan is among the most celebrated and contentious figures in contemporary art. His playful manipulation of materials, objects, and actions generates semantic shifts, challenging both artistic norms and institutional boundaries. By placing his creations in unconventional contexts, Cattelan incites commentary and engagement from viewers.

Cattelan’s work is in the permanent collections of Fondation Pinault, Paris; Fonds National d’Art Contemporain, Puteaux; F.R.A.C., Languedoc-Roussillon and Nord-Pas de Calais; Gilles Fuchs Collection, Paris; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem; The Dakis Joannou Collection, Athens; Castello di Rivoli, Museo di Arte Contemporanea, Turin; Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin; Jumex Collection, Mexico City; Migros Museum, Zurich; Elaine Dannheisser Collection, New York; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Rubell Family Collection, Miami and Seattle Museum of Contemporary Art, Seattle.