The mischief-making Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan—known for notorious interventions such as the duct-taped banana Comedian (2019)—is resurrecting one of his most (in)famous works this Easter. The Italian provocateur is launching a miniature sculptural edition of La Nona Ora (1999), available in an edition of 666, via the London-based online platform Avant Arte.
La Nona Ora (The Ninth Hour) shows Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) lying on the ground, having seemingly been struck by a meteorite; the “ninth hour” meanwhile refers to the moment Christ died on the cross on Good Friday. The new miniature editions, measuring 30cm long and 12.5cm high, are made of hand-painted resin and cost €2,200. The chance to purchase the edition will be allocated by a random draw closing 23 April.
Cattelan heightens the drama by inviting callers to confess their sins from 2 to 22 April on a special hotline via a freephone number in the US or on WhatsApp outside the US. Those deemed to be in “most acute need of absolution” will be personally selected by the artist and invited to phone in and have their confession heard live.
“The confessional will culminate in a live-streamed event at the end of the three-week period, in which Maurizio will hear confessions publicly, offering not only forgiveness, but the chance of a miracle,” says a statement. Individuals selected to confess live will be entered into a draw to receive a free edition of La Nona Ora.
Asked if he is again pushing boundaries, Cattelan told The Guardian: “Catholicism is something you grow up inside, even if you try to step out of it. It’s belief, theatre, control, comfort, all at once. I’m not trying to defend it or attack it. 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.”
Since the early 1990s, Cattelan has been considered one of contemporary art’s most high-profile japesters. His praying schoolboy Hitler (Him, 2001) and fully functioning 18-carat gold toilet (America, 2016) have all garnered headlines. But Cattelan surpassed himself with his 2019 showstopper at Art Basel Miami Beach. Comedian was just a banana attached to the wall with grey duct tape but the conceptually audacious, over-ripe readymade drew crowds and divided critics.
In a 2021 interview, he said: “Life is often tragic and comedic at the same time, and my works address these two facets. I use playfulness to express myself or to approach sensitive subjects, but not to make fun of anyone or to make people laugh.”
