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 initiative highlights Cattelan’s career-long fascination with subverting religious and political authority through a blend of high-concept performance and savvy marketing. By partnering with the London-based platform Avant Arte to sell the sculptures for €2,640 each, the artist bridges the gap between institutional critique and the commercial art market. The project reinforces his reputation as an "enfant terrible" who uses humor and scandal to explore the enduring power of sacred imagery in a secular, digital age.