When we think of art, we usually picture wall art or sculptures—but nothing prepares you for a fully functional toilet made of 18-karat gold. Yes, you read that right. This everyday object found in our washrooms has now been turned into a piece of high-value art. Scroll down to know the details.
18-Karat Gold Toilet Artwork
An Italian artist, Maurizio Cattelan, created an 18-karat gold toilet which had shocked everyone. This masterpiece has now been sold for a staggering ₹1.21 crore. The artwork known as ‘America’ has caught everyone’s attention since its first glimpse, reported Hindustan Times.
The most surprising part is that, other than being an art made of 18-karat gold, it’s also fully functional toilet. This artwork has been acquired by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and it’s not entirely shocking because the company has a history of collecting the strangest things from across the world. With this sale, the golden loo is right back in the spotlight.
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First Version Of Artwork Was Stolen
The gold toilet weighs around 101 kilos and went up for auction with a starting price of nearly $10 million. Before it was sold, Sotheby’s displayed it in New York, as it belonged to a private collector. But the first version of the artwork has an even more interesting backstory.
According to Hindustan Times, it was once installed at the Guggenheim Museum, which even joked about lending it to Donald Trump when he asked for a Van Gogh painting. Later, in 2019, that toilet was stolen from Blenheim Palace in England. Although two people were convicted in the case, the toilet itself was never recovered—the police believe it was melted down.
As for the artist, Cattelan is no stranger to unusual art. He once taped a banana to a wall and caused a media storm. With a golden toilet titled ‘America,’ he aimed to make a bold statement about wealth and inequality. He has often said that whether someone eats an expensive meal or a cheap one, the outcome is the same!
Art really knows no bounds, and this golden toilet proves well, just that! Share your thoughts about this in the comments!
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Cover Image Courtesy: X/@DagnyTaggart963