Buyer of Maurizio Cattelan's Gold Toilet Revealed

2 hours ago7 min read3 comments

The art world, perpetually thirsty for a splash of glamour and scandal, just got its latest piping hot serving of tea, and honey, it’s a golden one. The mysterious buyer of Maurizio Cattelan’s fully functional, 18-karat gold toilet, ‘America,’ has finally been unmasked, and the revelation is as dripping with opulence as the artwork itself.You’ll recall the piece, which famously was installed at Blenheim Palace and subsequently stolen in a heist that still feels like a plot ripped from a Guy Ritchie film. Well, forget shadowy cartels or eccentric billionaires hiding in bunkers; the throne has found its royal home with none other than the luxury goods titan, LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault.Let’s be real, if anyone was going to purchase a solid gold commode valued at a starting price determined by its weight in gold—a cool $10 million, for those keeping score—it would be the man presiding over an empire that includes Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Tiffany & Co. This isn't just an acquisition; it's a power move, a statement piece that screams 'new money is for peasants' from the highest penthouse in Paris.Cattelan, the art world’s premier provocateur, has always specialized in poking the bear of capitalist excess, from his diamond-studded skeleton to his banana duct-taped to a wall. ‘America,’ which was offered for public use at the Guggenheim, was the ultimate satire, a literal throne for the 1% that challenged the very nature of value and accessibility.Now, in a twist so deliciously ironic it could be a storyline on 'Succession,' the ultimate symbol of liquidating wealth has been scooped up by one of the planet's wealthiest individuals, effectively completing the artwork’s cynical loop. One can only imagine the conversations at LVMH’s next board meeting, held perhaps in a restroom where the fixtures cost more than the annual GDP of a small nation.This purchase transcends mere collecting; it’s a coronation. It solidifies Arnault not just as a patron, but as a character in Cattelan’s ongoing narrative, blurring the lines between art, life, and an almost mythological level of luxury.The toilet is no longer just a toilet; it's a trophy, a conversation starter of epic proportions, and the most exclusive piece of bling in a portfolio that already defines exclusivity. The art market, with its hushed auctions and secretive buyers, often feels impenetrable, but this revelation pulls back the velvet rope, giving us a glittering, unapologetic glimpse into a world where even the most mundane human functions can be gilded beyond comprehension.

#featured

#Maurizio Cattelan

#America

#gold toilet

#art auction

#contemporary art

#sculpture

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