A playful pursuit turns the streets of New York, Amsterdam, and London into open-air galleries
Maurizio Cattelan, one of contemporary art’s most daring figures, is once again blurring the line between provocation and play. His latest project, Where is Maurizio?, transforms three major cities into stages for a global treasure hunt that fuses high art with everyday life.
Timed with the unveiling of his new limited-edition sculpture We Are the Revolution, Cattelan has hidden miniature self-portraits in unexpected corners of New York, Amsterdam, and London. From bustling market stalls to tucked-away antique shops, the works await discovery by those quick enough to follow the trail of clues. The hunt begins on September 30, 2025, in New York City, with the first riddle dropping via Avant Arte’s dedicated microsite.
Art Meets Adventure
True to his reputation as art’s great trickster, Cattelan turns the act of collecting into a citywide game. His infamous Comedian (2019) — a banana taped to a gallery wall that went on to sell for $6.2 million — revealed how absurdity, context, and commerce intersect in the art world. With Where is Maurizio?, he sharpens that same critique, but in a more playful, participatory form.
Each hidden edition of We Are the Revolution carries a price tag that reflects its setting. A sculpture spotted in a corner store might be listed at $0.99, while one discovered in a fine antiques shop could fetch as much as €9,999. In parallel, digital-only hunts in Amsterdam and London invite participants to solve puzzles online for their chance to claim a prize.
We Are the Revolution — A Miniature with Monumental Meaning
At the heart of the treasure hunt is Cattelan’s resin, hand-painted sculpture, standing just 23 cm tall. The piece revisits his 2000 work Untitled, continuing his fascination with reimagining his own image through art. It also echoes the spirit of his celebrated La Rivoluzione Siamo Noi (2000), a tongue-in-cheek homage to Joseph Beuys and his iconic felt suit.
The miniature form, however, doesn’t diminish its impact. With his wry motto, “I am not really an artist,” Cattelan once again flips Beuys’ famous dictum that “every man is an artist” — prompting audiences to question who defines value, identity, and authorship in art.
Limited Edition for Collectors
While the treasure hunt editions are reserved for the quickest and luckiest participants, We Are the Revolution will also be released as a numbered edition of 1,000 pieces. Each sculpture is hand-painted, individually marked, and accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity. The wider release will be available exclusively through a lottery system closing on October 24, 2025.
A Game of Wit, Luck, and Legacy
By scattering his self-portraits into the everyday fabric of three iconic cities, Cattelan reinvents what it means to encounter — and own — a work of art. What is usually an elite, behind-closed-doors ritual of collecting is here transformed into a collective experience, a search where anyone could stumble across a masterpiece.
As New York, Amsterdam, and London prepare to host this unconventional hunt, one thing is certain: with Cattelan, the revolution is always just around the corner.
images courtesy of Avant Arte
