Sotheby's to Host Maurizio Cattelan's Infamous Gold Toilet in November Auction
The gold toilet that made headlines in 2019 when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace is set to return to the market at Sotheby's this November. The piece, titled "America," is considered the only existing example of the work, following its predecessor which was never recovered and presumed to have been melted down for its 98 kilograms of gold.
Cattelan's notorious toilet, first showcased at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2009, sparked both fascination and outrage among the public and art world insiders alike. Its notoriety only increased when it was stolen from Cattelan's show at Blenheim Palace, with an estimated value of £4.8 million.
This latest iteration of "America" will be offered in Sotheby's The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18. As a testament to its gold content, the starting bid has been set at $10 million, based on the artwork's weight and market prices.
Cattelan is widely regarded as a contemporary provocateur who challenges traditional notions of art and value. His work combines elements of Dadaism, Duchampian conceptualism, and Warholian pop critique to create thought-provoking pieces that question what defines a work of art.
David Galperin, Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art in New York, has described Cattelan's gold toilet as "Cattelan's tour de force," noting its uncanny surrealism and the way it reimagines the traditional gesture of Marcel Duchamp. The piece is likened to Constantin Brancusi's "Bird in Space" and Jeff Koons' "Bunny" for its transformation of the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Throughout his career, Cattelan has challenged how artistic value is constructed, pushing the notion of the ready-made to its limit and elevating everyday objects to new significance. His work thrives within the economy of self-exposure and performativity that defines digital capitalism, where art circulates and is consumed in a rapidly changing media landscape.
With gold prices on the rise, Cattelan's toilet has become an even more attractive investment opportunity, combining the brand value of one of the most recognizable artists of our time with the precious material itself. As the auction season heats up this November, Maurizio Cattelan's infamous gold toilet is set to dominate headlines and push the boundaries of what art can be.
The gold toilet that made headlines in 2019 when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace is set to return to the market at Sotheby's this November. The piece, titled "America," is considered the only existing example of the work, following its predecessor which was never recovered and presumed to have been melted down for its 98 kilograms of gold.
Cattelan's notorious toilet, first showcased at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2009, sparked both fascination and outrage among the public and art world insiders alike. Its notoriety only increased when it was stolen from Cattelan's show at Blenheim Palace, with an estimated value of £4.8 million.
This latest iteration of "America" will be offered in Sotheby's The Now & Contemporary Evening Auction on November 18. As a testament to its gold content, the starting bid has been set at $10 million, based on the artwork's weight and market prices.
Cattelan is widely regarded as a contemporary provocateur who challenges traditional notions of art and value. His work combines elements of Dadaism, Duchampian conceptualism, and Warholian pop critique to create thought-provoking pieces that question what defines a work of art.
David Galperin, Sotheby's Head of Contemporary Art in New York, has described Cattelan's gold toilet as "Cattelan's tour de force," noting its uncanny surrealism and the way it reimagines the traditional gesture of Marcel Duchamp. The piece is likened to Constantin Brancusi's "Bird in Space" and Jeff Koons' "Bunny" for its transformation of the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Throughout his career, Cattelan has challenged how artistic value is constructed, pushing the notion of the ready-made to its limit and elevating everyday objects to new significance. His work thrives within the economy of self-exposure and performativity that defines digital capitalism, where art circulates and is consumed in a rapidly changing media landscape.
With gold prices on the rise, Cattelan's toilet has become an even more attractive investment opportunity, combining the brand value of one of the most recognizable artists of our time with the precious material itself. As the auction season heats up this November, Maurizio Cattelan's infamous gold toilet is set to dominate headlines and push the boundaries of what art can be.
. I gotta say, Maurizio Cattelan is a genius - his art is so thought-provoking and pushes the boundaries of what we consider 'art'. Like, who needs a traditional sculpture when you can just take an ordinary toilet and turn it into something extraordinary? 
It's crazy to think that this little toilet has become such a big deal in the art world. I mean, $10 million as a starting bid is wild - must be some serious collectors out there who are willing to shell out the cash for it 
. Cattelan's whole style is all about challenging our perceptions of value and what makes something 'art', so it'll be interesting to see how this auction plays out. Will people just buy it for its gold content or because they're die-hard fans of Cattelan? Only time will tell 
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like what even is an $10m bid for a toilet ??? but at the same time its kinda genius how cattelan made us question art value lol did u no that the original gold toilet was stolen from blenheim palace tho?? anyway i guess its gonna be super interesting to see who bids on it in nov 
I mean, who needs a piece of art that's literally just a toilet made of gold? 
but $10 mil is crazy, i feel like cattelan's just trolling us at this point lol. and honestly, who needs gold when u got that much attention? the whole thing about art being worth more than its weight in gold is so cheesy, but i guess it works for him 
. They're basically profiting off a piece that was already considered ridiculous in 2019. The gold toilet was just an attention-grabber to start with, and now they're charging $10 million for it? That's just insane 
. It's just a toilet in gold, folks!
like wut r they gonna do with it tho? just leave it in a public space or somethin? anyone think its still as cool now as it was back in 2009? idk about u, but to me it seems like just another prank by murrzio cattelan 
!!! I mean, who wouldn't want to own a piece of art history 
! Cattelan is like the ultimate artist provocateur 
, challenging everything we think about art and value. And now, with gold prices on the rise, this toilet is basically an investment opportunity 
... Can't wait to see it up close in person 
! But at the same time, I get why people are drawn to it - Cattelan's art often challenges our perceptions of what's "art" anyway. And hey, if it's gonna spark some interesting conversations and debates about artistic value, that's all good in my book 
. Still, $10 million as a starting bid feels kinda steep... I mean, is that really how much gold is worth to people these days? 
november at Sotheby's, gold toilet fans are gonna freak out 
still a genius for making art out of something so basic like a toilet though, i guess you can say he's a true provocateur 
