America: Maurizio Cattelan's Gold Toilet Up for Auction at Sotheby's
Sotheby’s is gearing up for another headline-grabbing auction, this time featuring Maurizio Cattelan’s fully functional gold toilet, America (2016). Crafted from solid 18-karat gold and modeled after a standard Kohler toilet, this unique piece will be up for bidding during Sotheby’s evening auction of contemporary art in New York on 18 November. The starting bid will be based on the current market value of the gold used in the sculpture, estimated at around $10 million.
During the auction preview from 8-17 November, America will be on display in a restroom at Sotheby's new Breuer Building headquarters. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the artwork up close, but will not be allowed to use the toilet. If America exceeds its $10 million estimate, it could potentially become one of Cattelan’s highest auction results, possibly surpassing the $15.2 million fetched by his sculpture Him (2001) at a Christie's sale in 2016.
This particular edition of America is the only surviving one, with another previously installed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The Guggenheim edition was later moved to Blenheim Palace in the UK, where it was stolen just two days after installation. The stolen toilet was believed to have been melted down and destroyed. Created in 2016, America’s title and gold material have sparked interpretations linking it to American politics and excess, although Cattelan has stated that he did not foresee the rise of Donald Trump when he conceived the piece.
Despite the potential political connections, Cattelan views the Trump association as just one layer of meaning in the artwork. Like his previous work, Comedian, America is often seen as a commentary on wealth, power, and the art market. With the upcoming auction, a wealthy collector may have the chance to acquire this iconic piece and add it to their collection.