Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘Confessional’ Hotline Is for Sinners Only
The Italian artist is playing priest and releasing a sculptural edition of his Catholic-inspired “La Nona Ora.”
Summary
- Italian firebrand artist Maurizio Cattelan unveiled a new performance artwork, a sinners hotline titled “The Confessional”
- Callers are encouraged to submit secrets via WhatsApp through April 22 and select sinners wills be “absolved” by the artist in a livestream
- The launch coincides with the artist’s new “La Nona Ora” edition release with Avant Arte
Whether you’re wicked or maybe just a little guilty, Maurizio Cattelan is collecting sins. For his next act, the art world enfant terrible is playing priest in “The Confessional,” his a new participatory artwork and hotline.
Now through April 22, audiences are invited to spill secrets via voice note, text or phone call. Submissions will be personally reviewed by the artist and select callers will be absolved by Cattelan himself in a special livestream event on April 23.
Despite a firebrand reputation, the Catholic-inspired work isn’t an attempt to scandalize, the artist told The Guardian. “I don’t see it as absolution. It’s not religious authority, it’s a shared gesture. Confession exists in different forms everywhere – even outside religion.”
The dial-up confession booth coincides with the second coming of the artist’s controversial 1999 work,“La Nona Ora,” which depicts pope John Paul II, an equally hot-button figure, struck down by a meteorite. Arriving in a devilish edition of 666, the hand-painted resin sculpture was produced in collaboration with Avant Arte and miniaturizes the original into a shelf-sized figurine.
The sculptural edition is purchasable by random draw, though those who submit a confession will gain early access, and select sinners will receive one for free.
Photo: Chesnot/Getty Images
Avant Arte calls “La Nona Ora” Cattelan’s most sacrilegious piece. The meteorite, added to convey a sense of power and prominence, has particularly stirred outcry. While it was on display at the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw in 2000, the rock was removed by a pair of Polish politicians, which led to the ousting of the museum’s director. Despite this, Cattelan seems to still be in the church’s good graces after being invited to exhibit at the Vatican’s Venice Biennale pavilion in 2024.
“Catholicism is something you grow up inside, even if you try to step out of it. It’s belief, theater, control, comfort, all at once. I’m not trying to defend it or attack it,” the artist continued.
“I’m interested in the images it produces and the tension they carry. If someone feels offended, it probably means the image is still alive.”
For sinners inside the U.S., call +1 601 666 7466 to take part in “The Confessional.” Those outside the country are encouraged to participate via WhatsApp.
