In a unique event for the art world, collectors have the opportunity on Tuesday to acquire one of the most talked-about and valuable functional artworks in existence: a toilet made entirely of solid gold. The piece, a fully working latrine, is the creation of the famously provocative Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.
The $10 Million Commode
The artwork, titled "America," is scheduled to go under the hammer on Tuesday evening at a Sotheby's auction in New York. The auction house has set the starting bid to reflect the current market value of the object itself, which is constructed from 101 kilograms (223 pounds) of 18-karat gold. This places the opening bid at an estimated $10 million.
Cattelan, who previously gained international attention for taping a banana to a wall, has explained that this luxurious toilet is intended as a satire of extreme wealth. He once remarked that "Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise," highlighting the piece's commentary on universal human experiences versus economic disparity. Sotheby's has described the golden commode as an "incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value."
A Provocative History and a Notorious Heist
This particular toilet is one of two identical pieces created by Cattelan in 2016 and is currently owned by an unnamed collector. Its counterpart has a far more dramatic history. It was first displayed in 2016 at the prestigious Guggenheim Museum in New York.
In a pointed political gesture, the Guggenheim famously offered to lend the golden toilet to then-U.S. President Donald Trump after his administration requested to borrow a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. The artwork's journey continued in England, where it was installed for public use at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. It was from this historic location that the golden toilet was stolen.
While two men were later convicted for the audacious heist, the fate of the stolen toilet remains a mystery. Investigators believe it was most likely broken up and melted down for its raw gold value, its artistic significance lost forever.
A Lucrative and Unforgettable Art Piece
The toilet being auctioned, "America," has been on display at Sotheby's New York headquarters in the weeks leading up to the sale, allowing potential bidders to view the controversial work up close. Its upcoming auction not only represents a significant financial transaction but also reignites conversations about the value of art, the nature of luxury, and the power of satire in the contemporary art scene.
