Copyright The New York Times
The mystery has swirled through the art world for nearly a decade: Who bought that weird toilet designed by an artist? And not just any toilet — one made from 100 kilograms of solid gold, 18-karat. It even works, if you call a plumber for the hookup. It turns out that one of the wealthiest men in America has owned it the whole time: Steven Cohen, the billionaire financier who also owns the New York Mets. Cohen is reported to have to bought the gold toilet, created as a sculpture by the conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, from an art gallery in 2017. On Nov. 18, it will be coming to auction, with bidding to start at about $10 million. Five experts with knowledge of the deal, who requested anonymity to discuss a private business matter, said Cohen was the consignor.
