“Power, whatever power, has an expiration date, just like milk.” —Maurizio Cattelan

In The Third Hand, a new exhibition at the Moderna Museet, Cattelan uses satire, humor, provocation, and seriousness to question the power dynamics within the art world. 

The exhibition comprises six exhibition rooms in which Cattelan’s work meets artworks by Swedish and international artists from Moderna Museet’s collection, including Eva Aeppli, Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Cecilia Edefalk, Lena Svedberg, Rosemarie Trockel and the editorial staff of the underground magazine PUSS.

The exhibition’s title is open to interpretation. Perhaps it is Cattelan himself who is the third hand, who inserts himself between the institution Moderna Museet and its collection to interrogate and shine a critical light: Which art should be part of a collection? Which works should be exhibited? What or who decides what is important art? 

Cattelan's exploration shines a critical light on the decisions behind curating a collection and determining the significance of art, subtly avenging marginalized conditions and entities in a timeless manner.