MAURIZIO CATTELAN IS A FAN OF MIKE THE HEADLESS CHICKEN

The dramatic conclusion of the recent New York magazine profile of Maurizio Cattelan contains the following key to understanding the mysteries of the Italian artist’s work: “Cattelan becomes very animated talking about his homage to ‘Mike the headless chicken,’ who ‘was so famous… alive for years without a head, fed with a dropper. The farmer was probably preparing dinner and left a little part of the brain by mistake. 

Michele Giangrande's Mike the Headless Chicken, 2010
Neon, 90 x 70 cm, Edition of 5

work installed during the group show - Heavenly Creatures in London

See Mike walking among the other chickens...