Contract of “Theft”, 2025
contract, inkjet print on paper
38.5 x 52 x 4 cm
15 ¼ x 20 ½ x 1 ½ in


Contract of “Theft” is part of a series of provocations by the artist that explore the boundaries between artistic action and criminal act. Sartuzi proposes an impossible contract, in which the buyer consents to being stolen from by the artist. “The object of this agreement is the sale of a theft, hereby referred to as action. Although the object of this action is necessarily something in the possession of the collector, the final target of this action will not be previously announced or revealed later, once perpetuated.” The artist himself acknowledges the nullity of the contract, since, under Brazilian law, any clause establishing an obligation based on a crime — such as theft — has no legal validity. In this sense, the work functions as a kind of score for an action or a performative program.

Photography: Edouard Fraipont

click here to read the contract