Golden Toilet for $10 Million: Sotheby's to Auction Controversial Sculpture.

According to Korrespondent.net: The auction house Sotheby’s has announced that on November 18 in New York, it plans to sell one of the most famous sculptures of contemporary art – a golden toilet named America, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.

This work is made from over 100 kilograms of pure gold, and its value is estimated at 10 million dollars – exactly the amount of precious metal used in its creation. The toilet is not only functional but has also become a symbol of Cattelan's irony concerning themes of wealth, power, and equality.

Cattelan’s Provocative Nature

David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, described Cattelan as an 'unmatched provocateur in the art world.' The artist gained notoriety for his outrageous works – from a banana taped to the wall that sold for 6.2 million dollars, to the sculpture of Hitler that fetched 17.2 million dollars.

'No matter what you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the end result is the same when it comes to the toilet'

The sculpture America was created in 2016 in two copies. One was exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum, where over 100,000 people had the chance to 'experience' this art piece. Later, the museum proposed to give the toilet to then-US President Donald Trump instead of a Van Gogh painting.

The other copy was displayed at Blenheim Palace in the UK, where it was stolen in 2019. Thieves tore the sculpture from the plumbing and fled, leaving the palace in a flooded state.

Now America is returning – no longer as a household item but as a symbol of artistic irony regarding consumerism and the power of money.

In past news, it was also mentioned that a trial had started at Oxford Court in the UK against three men accused of stealing the golden toilet.

The auction of the sculpture America at Sotheby’s has generated great interest not only among collectors but also among the general public as this work is one of the brightest examples of contemporary art that combines aesthetics with social commentary. Regardless of what the final price will be, the sculpture will undoubtedly draw attention to the theme of relationships between art, money, and society once again.