Golden WC, duct-taped banana: Art's 'prankster' Maurizio Cattelan

Provocative, out of the ordinary art is his mantra: Here are the works of the art world's prankster Maurizio Cattelan.

People pose in front of Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian" presented by Perrotin Gallery and on view at Art Basel Miami 2019 at Miami Beach Convention Center, Dec. 6, 2019 in Miami Beach, Florida. Two of the three editions of the piece, which feature a banana duct-taped to a wall, have reportedly sold for $120,000.

A nameless work of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan is seen during a photocall at the Kunsthaus in Bregenz, Jan. 31, 2008. The exhibition of work by Cattelan titled "Death is the major", best known for his satirical and controversial sculptures, opened on Feb. 1 and ran until March 24, 2008.

The work 'La Rivoluzione siamo noi' by Maurizio Cattelan hangs in the foyer, during a press preview for 'Reflections on the Self', an exhibition of self portraiture at Christie's Mayfair.

A general view of Maurizio Cattelan's installation "The Others" consisting of 2,000 stuffed pigeons on ledges and rafters throughout the Central Pavilion in Venice, Italy, June 7, 2011.

A person walks past the "Untitled" installation of miniature elevators by Maurizio Cattelan at a preview of the Postwar and Contemporary Art Evening Sale at Christie’s auction house in New York City, Nov. 4, 2011. The 33-inch functioning elevator installation is expected to fetch $400,000-$600,000 at the Nov. 8 auction.

The art installation of stuffed pigeons called "Others" by artist Maurizio Cattelan is seen on the balconies of the Rotonde at the Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection contemporary art museum in Paris, France, May 14, 2021.

A life-like sculpture of three hanged boys is installed in one of Milan's busiest squares, May 6, 2004. The sculpture by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan caused controversy in the city.

A view of the Maurizio Cattelan installation at the 2011 Guggenheim International gala at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Nov. 10, 2011.

A visitor looks at Ostrich by Maurizio Cattelan (estimated 1.5 million to 2 million British pounds, or between $2 million to $2.7 million) at Christie's, London, which will form part of the Post-War & Contemporary Art sale at the auction rooms.

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan poses next to his artwork "Untitled" (2001) prior to the opening of the exhibition "Not Afraid of Love" at the Hotel de la Monnaie in Paris, France, Oct. 17, 2016.

A view of the Maurizio Cattelan installation at the 2011 Guggenheim International gala at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, U.S., Nov. 10, 2011.

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan poses next to his artwork "La Nona Ora" (The Ninth Hour, 1999) prior to the opening of the exhibition "Not Afraid of Love" at the Hotel de la Monnaie in Paris, France, Oct. 17, 2016.

Cherie Blair receives the "StellaRe Award 2018" designed by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan for her civil engagement with Cherie Blair Foundation for Women during the award ceremony at Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Contemporary Art Foundation in Turin, Italy, Oct. 11, 2018.

A visitor walks past 'Frank and Jamie' by artist Maurizio Cattelan, which sold for 1,026,850 British pounds ($1.38 million) at auction during Christie's evening sale of Post War and Contemporary art, at Christie's auction house in central London, U.K.

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan poses with his creation "Is There Life Before Death" (2010), prior to the opening of the exhibition "Not Afraid of Love" at the Hotel de la Monnaie in Paris, France, Oct. 17, 2016.

Charlie Don't Surf (1997) by Maurizio Cattelan on display at an exhibition titled "Collection of Foundation Louis Vuitton: Selected Works" opened at Moscow's Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

Italian Maurizio Cattelan's Bidibidobidiboo, a squirrel which has commited suicide in the Tate Gallery in London, part of Abracadabra, a provocative new show billed as capturing a playful mood in contemporary art.

"Him", a realistic model of a kneeling schoolboy with the head of Adolf Hitler created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, is seen at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England, Sept. 12, 2019.

"Others", an installation of 200 taxidermy birds created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, is seen at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England, Sept. 12, 2019.

A view of the art installation Eternity is displayed after the ceremony where he is given title of Honorary Professor of sculpture at the Accademia delle Belle Arti in Carrara, Italy, April 23, 2018. The artist has inaugurated the installation Eternity conceived by him and carried out by students on theme of death and funeral rituals on artists of the past and present. For this project he donated 30,000 euros ($33,841) for scholarships to students.

"We'll Never Die", a large-scale copy of the flag-bearing arm of Emmanual Fremiet's sculpture of Joan of Arc, created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, is seen at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England, Sept. 12, 2019.

"America", a fully-working solid gold toilet, created by Maurizio Cattelan, is seen at Benheim Palace in Woodstock, England, Sept. 12, 2019.

A rainbow appears in the water above "Daddy, Daddy", a large scale recreation of the drowning Disney character Pinocchio, created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, England, Sept. 12, 2019.

A visitor with a protective mask looks a work by Maurizio Cattelan called "Novecento" inside the museum of Contemporary Art of the Castello di Rivoli in Rivoli near Turin, Italy, May 22, 2020.

The work "Blind" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan during the "Breath Ghosts Blind" exhibition preview at Pirelli Hangar Bicocca in Milan, Italy, July 13, 2021.

The work "Breath" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan during the "Breath Ghosts Blind" exhibition preview at Pirelli Hangar Bicocca in Milan, Italy, July 13, 2021.

People look at 'Spermini' during the solo exhibition 'The Last Judgment' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at UCCA Great Hall in Beijing, China, Nov. 20, 2021.

A sculpture entitled 'L.O.V.E.' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, stands in front of Italy's Stock Exchange, the Borsa Italiana, which is part of the London Stock Exchange Group Plc, in Milan Italy, Oct. 8, 2020.

People visit the solo exhibition 'The Last Judgment' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at UCCA Great Hall in Beijing, China, Nov. 20, 2021.

People visit the solo exhibition 'The Last Judgment' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at UCCA Great Hall in Beijing, China, Nov. 20, 2021.

A gallery employee walks past Maurizio Cattelan's Untitled 2009 at the launch of the Pop Life: Art in a Modern World exhibition at the Tate Modern in London, Sept. 29, 2009.

Internationally renowned artist Maurizio Cattelan suspends a sculpture of a hanging man, 'You', 2021, from a flagpole outside Luxembourg Co. gallery in Mayfair's Savile Row in London, England, May 6, 2021.

A woman poses for photos in front of a mural with a puppet-like Picasso by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan during an exhibition of “The Last Judgment” at Beijing's Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (UCCA) on Nov. 20, 2021.

A general view of the artwork entitled "Ghosts" taken during the press preview of the "Breath Ghosts Blind" exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at Pirelli Hangar Bicocca in Milan, Italy, July 13, 2021.

People visit the solo exhibition 'The Last Judgment' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at UCCA Great Hall in Beijing, China, Nov. 20, 2021.

Visitors look at the artwork "Not Afraid of Love" at "Maurizio Cattelan: The Last Judgment" art exhibition in UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, in Beijing, China, Nov. 21, 2021. The first solo exhibition in China by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan presents 29 works from his more than a three-decade-long career and runs until Feb. 20, 2022.

People walk past a sculpture entitled “No” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan during an exhibition of “The Last Judgment” at Beijing's Ullens Centre for Contemporary Art (UCCA), Nov. 20, 2021.