Sinners, Maurizio Cattelan Is Taking Confession

Maurizio Cattelan has launched a participatory artwork and sales campaign titled 'The Confessional,' where people can call a hotline to submit their sins for his consideration. Selected participants will be invited to a livestreamed event on April 23 where Cattelan, acting as a priest, will absolve them. The project is tied to the re-release of his controversial 1999 sculpture 'La Nona Ora,' a miniature wax figure of Pope John Paul II struck by a meteorite.

Maurizio Cattelan opens a hotline to absolve us of our sins via WhatsApp

Maurizio Cattelan ouvre une hotline pour nous absoudre de nos péchés par WhatsApp

Italian provocateur Maurizio Cattelan has launched "The Confessional," an international hotline allowing participants to confess their sins via WhatsApp, SMS, or voice notes from April 2 to April 22, 2026. This participatory performance culminates in a livestream on April 23, where Cattelan will personally grant absolution to selected participants. The project coincides with the release of a limited edition of 666 miniature replicas of his infamous 1999 sculpture, "La Nona Ora," which depicts Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite.

This beloved pop culture art gallery in L.A. is closing after 20 years — is AI to blame?

Gallery 1988, a pioneering Los Angeles institution that branded itself as the world's first pop culture-focused art gallery, will cease operations at the end of April after 20 years. Founded in 2004, the gallery became a cult favorite for its tribute exhibitions dedicated to films, video games, and television, often drawing massive crowds for shows like "Crazy 4 Cult." Owner Katie Sutton cited a historically weak art market and the loss of a physical storefront as primary factors in the decision to close.