~MAURIZIO CATTELAN v.s. CHARLIE FINCH, ouch . . .
. . . there’s no escaping Charlie.
MAURIZIO CATTELAN and CHARLIE FINCH of artnet have a super feud going on . . . I don’t know the origins of the sad saga, but it’s a colossal feud. like super heated particles colliding head-on at vast speeds, like an epic-sized red-black lacquered dragon madly spinning in the ancient skies, biting its own tail and shooting off sparks, or is that blood – they have become one – locked in fierce battle. egging each other on to greater heights . . . aggravating the hell out of the diva egos that inhabit both. in this case – more is more.
the whole is greater than the parts . . .
Charlie’s most recent diatribe, written in advance of Cattelan’s Guggenheim retrospective is titled: ‘CATTELAN’S DINGLEBERRIES’. and if you think dingleberries is a quaint expression, not !! it means: “a piece of dried feces caught in the hair around the anus” – American Heritage Dictionary. (!!) like I said, ouch.
Mr. Finch begins his cutting rant thus: “The news that MAURIZIO CATTELAN plans to hang his expensive “masterpieces” from the strongest steel bar (also the largest suppository from the world’s largest asshole, Cattelan), suspended in the Guggenheim’s rotunda, would be laughable if it weren’t so funny.” . . . and ends, “Dangle away douchebag.”
and if you think talking dirty on the web doesn’t pay – think again, you’d be wrong there too.
just google the situation and see for yourself, how many internet splinters Charlie’s post shattered into, how many digital sparks flew.
so, wiseguy read it for yourself: Charlie Finch on Maurizio Cattelan/artnet
for his part, Cattelan used to put out a kind of magazine, called, ‘Charlie’ – but now he calls it: ‘toilet’.
( . . . sorry, ‘toilet paper’ !!)
MAURIZIO CATTELAN, view of the performance in the ‘Giardini’ during the 50th Venice Biennal, 2003.
PHOTO: ZENO ZOTTI/COURTESY GALERIE PERROTIN, Paris
“Charlie”, 2003. Tricycle, steel, varnished, natural gum, resin, silicone, hair, fabrics. life-size.
edition of 3.
and, of course there was that great insider joke, when Cattelan titled his show-stealing remote-controlled bot boy – on a tricycle – ‘Charlie’ !! even though, it was a self-portrait of the artist, Cattelan, as a young boy – himself !!
you tell me who has the “drier” wit.
though Charlie’s – the stalking slasher, no doubt about it . . .
I did catch them once, at the beginning of the battle royale in the same room. but not side by side, that’s for sure.
it was in 2005 at the big DAMIEN HIRST show at Gagosian’s on 24th St. appropriately enough, the show was titled ‘Damien Hirst: The Elusive Truth’ – and the photos are from the opening night, March 11, 2005.
MAURIZIO CATTELAN at the Hirst opening, NYC. March 11, 2005
MAURIZIO CATTELAN, the Italian ‘clown’ – always in motion. and very wired.
CHARLIE FINCH, the sharp-tongued saber-toothed scribe looking almost benign, or is that benevolent, out and about – among the ‘little people’.
PHOTOS: NANCY SMITH, NYC. MARCH 11, 2005.