The world’s most controversial toilet is back in the spotlight. The 18-karat gold artwork titled “America”, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, is set to be auctioned once again — with a starting bid of ₹83 crore (around USD 10 million), based on current gold prices.

Weighing nearly 100 kilograms, the fully functional golden toilet first captured public attention at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, drawing more than 100,000 visitors. In 2019, it made headlines for another reason — when it was stolen from Blenheim Palace in England, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, in a daring five-minute heist. Although the culprits were later convicted, the original sculpture was never recovered, believed to have been melted down for gold.

Now, a second edition of “America,” privately owned since 2017, is set to be displayed once more before heading to auction. The exhibit will run for 10 days, but for security reasons, visitors can view — not use — the golden toilet.

Sotheby’s, which will handle the auction, described the piece as “a fusion of material opulence and biting social commentary.” The work challenges viewers to rethink wealth, privilege, and absurdity — much like Cattelan’s infamous “Comedian”, the banana duct-taped to a wall that sold for ₹52 crore last year.

With renewed global buzz, “America” once again blurs the line between luxury and satire, reminding the art world that sometimes the boldest statements are made in the most unexpected places.