Sotheby’s mentioned on Tuesday (18 November) that Maurizio Cattelan’s America (2016) had bought for $10m ($12.1m with charges) to “a well-known American model”, however a spokesperson for the public sale home declined to offer extra particulars. Now, the brand new proprietor of the 18-karat gold, totally purposeful bathroom has revealed itself: Ripley’s Consider It or Not!, a US franchise devoted to the weird and unusual.
Ripley’s operates aquariums, resorts, theme parks and museums it calls “Odditoriums”, crammed with artefacts from founder Robert L. Ripley’s assortment, wax statues of celebrities and historic figures, and extra. It has dozens of places throughout North America in addition to in Europe, South-East Asia and Australia. The corporate additionally publishes books and produces programmes like tv exhibits.
America was reportedly consigned to Sotheby’s by the billionaire collector, Museum of Trendy Artwork trustee and New York Mets proprietor Steve Cohen. It’s the final surviving version of the work. One other version had been put in on the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the place greater than 100,000 guests used it throughout its year-long run. That piece was later stolen in 2019, simply two days after occurring show at Blenheim Palace within the UK. Two males have been convicted in relation to the heist earlier this yr, and investigators consider that version of America was finally melted down and destroyed.
Ripley’s announcement says it plans to show the sculpture for the general public to see, although it didn’t specify at which of its places the newly acquired golden throne would possibly land. As as to whether guests to Ripley’s Consider It or Not will be capable to relieve themselves in it or not, for now the corporate is letting hypothesis swirl.
“The crew is exploring potentialities,” Ripley’s announcement teases. “However such a chance requires severe planning and somebody courageous sufficient to make sure all the things retains flowing in the appropriate path.”
