A solid gold toilet, a provocative sculpture titled “America,” is heading to auction. Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, this isn’t just a functional object; it’s a statement, a challenge to perceptions of wealth and value, and quite possibly, the most expensive toilet ever offered for sale.
The auction, set for November 18th in New York, carries a staggering starting price of around $10 million – the current market value of the 101.2 kilograms (223 pounds) of gold used in its construction. This piece isn’t about porcelain and plumbing; it’s about the collision of art, commodity, and the very idea of worth.
Cattelan is renowned for his audacious and often unsettling work. He’s the artist who once sold a banana duct-taped to a wall for $6.2 million, and whose sculpture of a kneeling Hitler fetched $17.2 million. His creations consistently provoke questions about the art world and our collective understanding of value.
“America” itself is a pointed satire on excess. Cattelan has wryly observed that the end result is the same, regardless of whether one dines on a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog. The sculpture forces a confrontation with the idea that even the most basic human functions are not immune to the influence of wealth.
This particular golden throne has been privately owned since 2017, but its story is intertwined with a dramatic theft. Another version of “America” was stolen from Blenheim Palace, the historic birthplace of Winston Churchill, in 2019 in a brazen heist that captivated the world.
Burglars forcibly removed the toilet from its plumbing and vanished. Though two men were convicted for the crime, the golden fixture was never recovered, leading investigators to believe it was likely broken down and melted for its precious metal. The stolen toilet became a symbol of audacious criminality and the allure of extreme wealth.
The auction house acknowledges the unique nature of this piece, contrasting it with Cattelan’s banana artwork. While the banana’s value rested solely on its conceptual idea and authorship, “America” possesses substantial intrinsic value through its raw materials. The interplay between artistic concept and material worth is central to the work’s power.
From November 8th, “America” will be on display at Sotheby’s New York headquarters. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the sculpture up close, but unlike previous exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum and Blenheim Palace, this time, it will be strictly look, don’t touch – and certainly, don’t flush.
At both the Guggenheim and Blenheim Palace, visitors were granted three-minute appointments to *use* the golden toilet, creating a uniquely intimate and somewhat surreal experience. This time, the experience will be purely visual, a contemplation of art, wealth, and the very nature of value.
