Ave Maria 2007

Editor: Today we’re looking at Maurizio Cattelan’s "Ave Maria" from 2007, a mixed-media sculpture featuring three disembodied arms emerging from a wall. The suits suggest a certain level of professional status... what do you see in this piece? Curator: It’s striking, isn’t it? For me, this is about labor and the manipulation of materials to critique power. The suits and hands, seemingly offering or reaching, are frozen, objectified. Consider the labor involved in producing not just the suits, but the sculpture itself – the molding, casting, and installation. Editor: Right, I didn't consider the actual process of production! And what about the title "Ave Maria?" Is there an irony here? Curator: Precisely. The title juxtaposes a sacred invocation with a rather absurd, almost unsettling image. Think about the historical context of religious iconography and its commodification. Cattelan, through his choice of materials and construction, prompts us to consider who profits from faith and labor, what materials are selected and why, and what this says about broader systems of production and belief. Editor: That's fascinating. So you’re saying the sculpture materializes a critique of the structures within society through a calculated choice of materials and a purposeful construction. Curator: Exactly. The sleekness of the presentation and the ghostly image draw attention to art as a form of material production deeply implicated within larger capitalist networks. It invites the viewer to reflect on the invisible systems supporting what we perceive as reality. Editor: I see, a critical analysis of labour, consumerism, and even faith materialized into one piece. Thank you. Curator: A fruitful perspective! And a stark reminder that everything is produced, and everything has a cost.