It is not every day that real gold toilets are available for people to view and use but that is exactly the case on the fifth floor of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
The unusual piece of art is fully functional and was designed and created by Maurizio Cattelan, who titled the piece 'America (2016).' The toilet is made from real 18-karat gold, which is likely worth between $2-3 million dollars in the US. Users are allowed to use the toilet but the one rule is for it is that users are not allowed to lift the seat.
This functional gold toilet works as a unique art piece while also making a statement about wealth and consumption habits in the USA.
18-Karat Gold Toilets
This Golden Toilet is on Display at a Museum in New York City
Trend Themes
1. Functional Art - The creation of functional art pieces like the 18-karat gold toilet presents disruptive innovation opportunities in merging practicality with artistic expression.
2. Luxury Experiences - The trend of offering unique luxury experiences, such as allowing visitors to use a real gold toilet, provides disruptive innovation opportunities to create exclusive and extravagant offerings.
3. Critiquing Wealth - The use of art to critique wealth and consumption habits, as seen through the golden toilet installation, opens up disruptive innovation opportunities to spark conversations and inspire change.
Industry Implications
1. Art and Design - The art and design industry can explore disruptive innovation opportunities by pushing the boundaries of traditional art forms and incorporating functionality into their creations.
2. Luxury Hospitality - The luxury hospitality industry can capitalize on the trend of creating exclusive experiences by offering high-end amenities that go beyond traditional definitions of luxury.
3. Social Commentary - The social commentary industry can utilize disruptive innovation opportunities to create thought-provoking art installations that challenge societal norms and prompt discussions about wealth and consumption.