Maurizio Cattelan’s Gold Toilet “America” to Lead Sotheby’s Auction
Exactly one year after the infamous “Comedian” banana duct-taped to the wall sold for $6.2 million, Maurizio Cattelan is back to stir up controversy once again. This time, it’s his functional, 18-karat gold toilet titled “America” that will take center stage at Sotheby’s “The Now and Contemporary” evening sale on November 18. The starting bids are expected to be around $10.2 million, given the toilet’s hefty weight of 223lbs.
Sotheby’s will showcase “America” in one of its restrooms at their new headquarters in Manhattan’s Breuer Building, with the auction set to debut on November 8. While the toilet is designed to be fully operational, visitors will only be allowed one-on-one viewing sessions with no actual usage permitted this time around.
The original version of “America” was famously installed in the Guggenheim Museum’s restroom, drawing both praise and criticism during Trump’s presidency. The sculpture even made headlines when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace in England in 2019, though the thieves were later apprehended and sentenced.
Cattelan’s choice to bring back “America” during Trump’s second term serves as a satirical commentary on societal values and the art market’s priorities, particularly in light of the current economic challenges facing millions of Americans. The suggestion to loan the gold toilet to the White House instead of a Van Gogh painting seems more fitting than ever in today’s political climate.
