Made of solid cold, Maurizio Cattelan's 'America' is an acclaimed work of art and an artistic satire on wealth and the nature of an object's true value. Now it's going to be auctioned at Sotheby's.

New York

An 18-carat gold toilet artwork titled 'America,' created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan in 2016, is set to be auctioned at Sotheby's New York. The piece, which is fully functional and has gained international attention as both an artwork and a satire on wealth, is the only remaining version after an earlier one was stolen from Blenheim Palace in the UK.

Bidding for the artwork is expected to start at around $10 million, reflecting both the high price of gold and the debate over commodity versus artistic value. The toilet will be on display at Sotheby's prior to the auction, but visitors will not be allowed to use it.

Maurizio Cattelan's gold toilet 'America' goes on sale

When you gotta go, you gotta go. But why not at least go in style? This 18-carat gold toilet is not just nice to look at. It can do everything a regular toilet is supposed to do. But it's also an acclaimed artwork, known by the name America. Created by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan in 2016, an earlier version was stolen by thieves when it was on display and fully operational in the UK's Blenheim Palace. But this version, the only one left, is being auctioned on November 18th. With the price of gold currently near record levels, the bidding is expected to start at around $10 million. It is directly tied to the work's raw material value in a way that really speaks to Cattelan's own interest in the difference between commodity value and artistic value. And so that very essence, that very debate, is really on the table here and something that we will explore in both the sale and the eventual sale price. America has already gained fame and notoriety, first as an artistic satire on wealth and the nature of an object's true value, and then because of the spectacular robbery in 2019. Cattelan has a reputation for provocative artworks, which raise questions about how art itself is priced. Over the course of Cattelan's entire career, he's always pushed the boundaries. This is part of what makes him a great, great artist. He's able to really provoke thought, intellectual debate, and create objects and artworks that transcend the boundaries of the art world and enter the real world. For those interested, the toilet will be on display at Sotheby's New York headquarters ahead of the auction. But strictly no flushing is allowed.

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