Twisted Titan
29th September 2010, 02:09 PM
Middle finger sculpture pops up in front of Milan Stock Exchange
Middle finger sculpture pops up in front of Milan Stock Exchange
A bold new sculpture strategically placed in front of the Milan Stock Exchange of an 11-metre tall marble middle finger has sparked some controversy in the fashionable Italian city.
The sculpture, called L.O.V.E., was crafted by contemporary Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, whose other controversial works include a sculpture of Pope John Paul being hit by a meteorite, the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph reports. His work is often described as unsettling, surprising and satirical.
“[Cattelan's works] call our times into question, offering themselves as a mirror, however cracked, of our present,” said Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, Milan’s commissioner for culture.
The provocative sculpture has sparked praise and criticism alike from local politicians and intellectuals over the merits and disadvantages of displaying controversial and possibly offensive works in such public places like a city square.
But Mr. Cattelan says people are misunderstanding his art. From the Telegraph:
Asked about the meaning of the work, Mr. Cattelan said his work was more an act of love than a comment on the financial world. “It is mainly about imagination,” he said.
The sculpture will remain on display in front of Milan’s Stock Exchange until Oct. 3. Milan is the third-largest market for contemporary art after London and New York.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/09...trong-message/
Middle finger sculpture pops up in front of Milan Stock Exchange
A bold new sculpture strategically placed in front of the Milan Stock Exchange of an 11-metre tall marble middle finger has sparked some controversy in the fashionable Italian city.
The sculpture, called L.O.V.E., was crafted by contemporary Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, whose other controversial works include a sculpture of Pope John Paul being hit by a meteorite, the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph reports. His work is often described as unsettling, surprising and satirical.
“[Cattelan's works] call our times into question, offering themselves as a mirror, however cracked, of our present,” said Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, Milan’s commissioner for culture.
The provocative sculpture has sparked praise and criticism alike from local politicians and intellectuals over the merits and disadvantages of displaying controversial and possibly offensive works in such public places like a city square.
But Mr. Cattelan says people are misunderstanding his art. From the Telegraph:
Asked about the meaning of the work, Mr. Cattelan said his work was more an act of love than a comment on the financial world. “It is mainly about imagination,” he said.
The sculpture will remain on display in front of Milan’s Stock Exchange until Oct. 3. Milan is the third-largest market for contemporary art after London and New York.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/09...trong-message/