This 4.8 million pound ($5.95 million) gold toilet, named “America,” is the work of Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, according to the Associated Press. It was created with the intention of satirizing excessive wealth.
The toilet disappeared one night in September 2019 while it was being displayed in an art installation exhibition at Blenheim Palace, near Oxford City.
Solomon R. in New York – USA on September 16, 2016. Photograph of a toilet at the Guggenheim Museum. Photo: AP
On 6 November the Royal Prosecution Service said that four men aged 35–39 had been criminally charged in connection with the theft. He was charged with theft and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
A total of 7 people were arrested in this theft, but the first charges were not filed until November 6. Toilet has not been found yet.
According to AP, this golden toilet works normally. Before it was stolen, visitors to the exhibition could even set a time to use it for up to 3 minutes.
Police said the toilet was connected to the palace’s waste water system, so when it was stolen, the 18th-century building suffered significant damage and flooding. The palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with works of art that attracts thousands of visitors every year.
Before reaching Blenheim Palace, the Golden Toilet was displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York – USA. Visitors to the museum had the opportunity to access and experience this work of art in a very personal way.
The above four suspects will appear in court on November 28.
