It’s a throne worthy of a king or queen… just make sure to flush after you are done. The newest art exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum grants visitors unprecedented intimacy with art. Go ahead and relieve yourself over 18 carat gold, it’s what it’s made for. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan has installed a gold plated, fully functional toilet called “America” at the Guggenheim museum.
Curator Nancy Spector from the Brooklyn Museum explains how it will work: “People will most likely wait in line…and individuals will use it one at a time. There will be a security guard outside who will explain to people what the piece is … And then people will use it as they would a bathroom.” We hope the security guard doesn’t take too long explaining what the piece is, because we are sure some people will be in a rush to admire the artwork!
Of course, a gold toilet needs special care. Spector says that “it’s both a functional object and a work of art, so it presents unique challenges. It’s also 18 karat gold so the material has to be treated very carefully.” She adds that “our sculpture conservator has done studies on the material and will be using a form of steam cleaning and special wipes. It will be kept clean throughout the day, as the Guggenheim does with all of its bathrooms, but not steam cleaning necessarily.” Now, where did I leave the platinum nail clippers and the fine silk Q-tips?
