Sotheby's will auction Maurizio Cattelan's solid gold toilet sculpture, *America* (2016), during its evening sale of contemporary art in New York on 18 November. Bidding starts at approximately $10 million, based on the current market value of the 18-karat gold used in the work. The piece, a fully functioning toilet modeled after a standard Kohler design, will be on view at Sotheby's Breuer Building from 8 to 17 November, though visitors will not be allowed to use it. This is the only surviving edition; another was famously stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019 and believed melted down.
The sale follows the $6.2 million auction of Cattelan's *Comedian* (2019) last year and could become the artist's top auction result if it surpasses $15.2 million. The work, created in 2016 amid Donald Trump's presidential campaign, is widely interpreted as a commentary on wealth, power, and the absurdities of the art market. Its gold material and title invite political readings, though Cattelan has emphasized multiple layers of meaning. The auction underscores the enduring market appeal of provocative conceptual works and the intersection of art, luxury, and satire.