世界で最も著名かつ物議を醸す芸術作品の一つである、マウリツィオ・カテラン氏の18金製トイレ「アメリカ」は、その風刺性と豪奢さゆえに、芸術界における議論の的となってきた。
One of the most famous and controversial works of art in the world, Maurizio Cattelans 18-karat gold toilet America, has captured the attention of the art world with its satire and extravagance.
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In 2016, when it was installed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, it is said that around 100,000 visitors viewed and actually used this piece.
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However, America, which was on display at Blenheim Palace in the UK in 2019, was stolen by a gang of thieves in just five minutes.
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The people who committed the theft have already been convicted, but the toilet has not yet been found.
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The work was most likely either cut into small pieces or melted down and sold as gold worth millions of dollars.
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This golden toilet is not only valuable as a mere luxury item, but also carries a deep satirical intention.
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In particular, the story that when the Trump administration wanted to borrow a Van Gogh painting, it was suggested instead to lend this toilet has become a symbol of biting satire against modern society.
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Of the multiple versions of America said to have been created by Cattelan, the second piece is scheduled to be auctioned at Sothebys this month.
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This piece has been owned by an anonymous individual since 2017, and will be on public display for ten days before the auction in the restroom on the fourth floor of Sotheby’s new headquarters. However, for safety reasons, visitors will not be allowed to actually use it.
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David Galperin, head of the Contemporary Art Department at Sotheby’s, jokingly said, “The door is always open” at this auction, while emphasizing the intrinsic value of the artwork.
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Usually, in auctions, the starting price and the upper limit price are set in advance, but in the case of this work, the starting price is determined based on the market price of gold, so the price fluctuates depending on the trends in the gold market.
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Based on the current gold price, the starting price is expected to be around 10 million dollars, and the final price will be determined by collectors evaluations.
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また、同じくカテラン氏によるバナナを壁に貼り付けた作品「コメディアン」との対比も指摘される。
「コメディアン」は、カテラン氏の名声がなければ価値を持ち得ない一方で、「アメリカ」はその素材自体に多大な価値がある。
このように、芸術作品における価値の本質について、両者は鮮やかなコントラストをなしていると言えるだろう。
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