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Rating: The boundaries between Art, provocation, language, and communication are becoming increasingly blurred. So much so that it is now almost impossible to clearly demarcate a boundary line in contemporary works such as this performance "Three Hanged Children" by Maurizio Cattelan. A work (?) that appeared in Piazza XXIV Maggio in Brera back in 2004 and that caused quite a stir among critics and the Milanese populace who happened to pass by during those days.
Cattelan is one of the most renowned artists in Italy (and perhaps in the world) who never misses an opportunity to provoke and amaze the academic world of Art (does it still exist?) with his works, which are the result of a skillful mix of current affairs, sarcasm, black humor, and cynicism. How can we forget Wojitla being hit by a meteorite (here), the child Hitler in prayer (here), or the horse hanging with its head severed (here) that have sparked so much discussion with debates, controversies, and half-lawsuits, providing the artist with an unprecedented popularity rally (further boosting his quotes in international catalogs!).
Here we face a strange staging. Three mannequins of children dressed in Western clothes, hanged from an oak tree. Nothing more, nothing less. Yet another provocation that gave a hard time to the Milanese traffic police (the drivers' slowing down created hours of traffic panic), embarrassment to the mayor at the time, Albertini, and to Mrs. Trussardi of the Trussardi Foundation, the project's creator, who tried to elevate the Work and somehow save face.
A sly provocation that the artist did not bother to explain except with a feeble: "This work tells the tension that exists in reality. We do not wish to offend or upset anyone" while in reality it certainly pissed some people off: we are talking about the Sports Councilor Brandirali (Forza Italia) and municipal councilor Di Martino (AN). But this is trivial news that matters little now.
Beyond everything, one wonders if all this macro-cultural (!) or artistic operation has any meaning or if the whole thing, ultimately, is comparable to certain images by photographer Oliviero Toscani created for Benetton in the early 90s and for other companies or organizations (here, here and here): provocations for their own sake or implying some ambiguous message open to a thousand interpretations. Almost like pretexts for the PR and "well-oiled" press offices to garner consensus and debates in various Italian intelligentsia salons. I can easily imagine sitting in a corner, the "Grand Master" Maurizio chuckling to himself, about everything and everyone.
Ahh, the Magical World of Contemporary Art... there would be so much to say and reiterate. ;-)
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