Solid gold American toilet sells for Rs 106 crore at auction. What we know

A fully functional, solid gold toilet has sold for a whopping $12.1 million at an auction.

The satirical piece labelled ‘America’ was made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, who previously rocked the internet with a controversial banana artwork entitled ‘Comedian’. Cattelan is famed for his irreverent works that came at both art itself and institutions.  

The solid 18-karat gold toilet sculpture was auctioned off at the famed Sotheby’s.

What do we know about it?

Let’s take a look at the art and the artist

A solid gold toilet fetches $12.1m

A 101-kilo, fully functional and flushable solid gold toilet was previously put on display at the Guggenheim. It was also offered to US President Donald Trump, who has made no secret of his fondness for gold. The toilet, which made its debut in 2016, comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist, according to Sotheby’s.  

While awaiting bidders, the Sotheby’s auctioneer asked, “Feeling flush?” The artwork was installed in Sotheby’s New York headquarters for public viewing before the auction.

Cattelan has said that the installation is meant to ridicule excessive wealth in the United States. The artist once humorously remarked, “Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the result is the same.”

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He explained that he wanted to place something priceless in “the least noble and most necessary place,” highlighting the tension between high art and base functionality. The first edition of ‘ America' was exhibited at the Guggenheim in 2016, where visitors were allowed to use it.

Incidentally, another version of the toilet was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019. The work, which has not been recovered, is presumed to have been broken up and melted down for its gold.

Before the auction, the toilet was displayed in a bathroom at Sotheby’s headquarters. However, this time, visitors were not allowed to use it.

“It’s an incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value,” Sotheby’s said in its brochure.

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David Galperin, a Sotheby’s expert, added, “We don’t want people sitting on the art."

This came after visitors were previously invited to christen it, but not allowed to actually use the toilet while on display.

The collector who owned the gold toilet before the auction has not been publicly identified.

The artist behind the art

Cattelan is known for his thought-provoking installations that redefine the boundaries of contemporary art. His playful yet provocative use of materials and gestures forces commentary and engagement. He first achieved notoriety with “La Nona Ora” (The Ninth Hour), a wax statue of Pope John Paul II, which was originally exhibited at Kunsthalle Basel in 1999.

In 2019, Cattelan’s solo exhibition of his major works, including “Victory is Not an Option”, took place at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, on the night of the opening, “America”.    Then came Cattelan’s ‘Comedian ‘, a banana that broke the internet in December 2019.  

The viral sensation immediately sparked stimulating debates and discussions among people of all walks of life about the nature and the value of art. The Italian conceptual artist, has known for his subversive displays, continues to challenge the limits of contemporary value systems through his ironic and humorous works.  

With Inputs from agencies