Maurizio Cattelan Curates 'The Artist is Present' in Shanghai, Borrowing Abramović's Title

Maurizio Cattelan has curated a group exhibition titled 'The Artist is Present' at the Yuz Museum in Shanghai, running from October 11 to December 16, 2018. The show borrows its name from Marina Abramović's iconic 2010 MoMA performance. Promoted by Gucci in collaboration with creative director Alessandro Michele, the exhibition explores originality through repetition and the value of copies. It features over thirty international and Chinese artists, including John Ahearn, John Armleder, Nina Beier, and others. The promotional campaign also mimics Abramović's original advertising, replacing her with a lookalike. Gucci's ArtWalls in Milan, New York, London, and Hong Kong display the poster, with a new mural planned for Shanghai's Xintiandi North Block. Cattelan, who previously curated 'Shit and Die' in Turin in 2014, stated, 'Copying is like blasphemy: it may be seen as disrespectful to God, but at the same time it is a significant recognition of his existence.' The exhibition includes site-specific and existing works, questioning authenticity in a media-saturated age.