“Heart, Spare Part” is a work created in 1998 by Maurizio Cattelan, consisting of an original Alfa Romeo cardboard element cut into the shape of a heart and secured with adhesive tape under glass. The work bears the artist’s signature and date on the reverse, confirming its authenticity, and is presented in a square format measuring H cm 40 x 40.
In this piece, Cattelan adopts a deliberately simple and direct visual language. However, beneath the apparent simplicity of the materials lies a complex reflection on the symbolic value of objects and on the relationship between industry, identity, and emotion. The heart, a traditional emblem of sentiment, is associated with a “spare part”, a term that evokes serial production and mechanics. As a result, the emotional dimension is placed in tension with a cold and functional one.
From a formal perspective, the industrial cardboard retains the original Alfa Romeo logos and inscriptions, which become an integral part of the composition. Furthermore, the use of glass as a container transforms the object into a sort of contemporary relic, isolating it and presenting it for contemplation as a work of art. At the same time, the presence of adhesive tape emphasises a deliberately anti-monumental approach, characteristic of Cattelan’s artistic practice.
As for the artist, Maurizio Cattelan is one of the leading figures of contemporary international art, renowned for his use of irony, provocation, and the appropriation of everyday objects. “Heart, Spare Part” fits coherently within his research of the 1990s, a period during which he explored the concepts of authenticity and replaceability.
Description: Alfa Romeo cardboard in the shape of a heart with adhesive tape, displayed under glass, bearing signature and date on the reverse. H cm 40×40.
Provenance: private collection.
Hammer Price: € 12.500,00
Auction 65 – December 6th 2023 – Contemporary Art – Design
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