The World’s First Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects Wants Its Collection to Shrink, Not Grow

 

Credits: UNESCO

UNESCO has launched the world’s first Virtual Museum of Stolen Cultural Objects to spotlight the global issue of cultural heritage theft. Featuring over 250 looted items from 46 countries, the museum offers free access to 2D and 3D renderings of stolen artifacts, artworks, and rare books. Visitors can explore by region or object type, and even use VR headsets for immersive viewing. Some 3D models were generated using AI. Designed by architect Francis Kéré, the museum’s structure symbolizes resilience, inspired by the baobab tree. A unique feature is the Return and Restitution Room, showcasing items that have been successfully returned to their countries, such as a trilobite fossil repatriated to Morocco. Unlike traditional museums, this one aims to shrink over time as stolen objects are recovered and removed from the collection, symbolizing justice and restoration. The initiative is backed by Saudi Arabia and Interpol, aligning with UNESCO’s 1970 Convention against cultural property trafficking

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This Fully Functioning Toilet Made From Solid Gold Could Sell for More Than $10 Million at Auction

 

Credit: Sotheby's

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s fully functioning 18-karat gold toilet, titled America, is set to be auctioned by Sotheby’s on November 18, with bidding expected to start around $10 million—based on the current price of gold. Weighing 220 pounds, the satirical sculpture critiques wealth and social equality by placing luxury in an unexpected setting. Cattelan famously said, “In the end, we are all the same,” referencing the toilet’s universal function.

Originally built in 2016 and sold to a private collector, another version of America was installed at the Guggenheim Museum, where over 100,000 visitors used it. It was later stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019 in a five-minute heist; the toilet remains missing and is believed to have been melted down. At the time of the theft, rising gold prices had pushed its value to $4 million.

Sotheby’s calls the piece one of Cattelan’s most iconic works, blending spectacle with deeper meaning.

Read more: This Fully Functioning Toilet Made From Solid Gold Could Sell for More Than $10 Million at Auction

A duct-taped banana sells for $6.2 million at an art auction

 

(Source: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP)

In November 2024, Maurizio Cattelan’s conceptual artwork Comedian—a banana duct-taped to a wall—sold for $6.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York. Originally debuting at Art Basel Miami in 2019, the piece sparked debate over its artistic merit and was even eaten by another artist during its initial showing. The recent buyer, Justin Sun, founder of the TRON cryptocurrency platform, purchased a certificate of authenticity allowing him to recreate the piece. He plans to eat the banana himself as part of the artistic experience. The auction drew intense attention, with bidding starting at $800,000 and quickly escalating. Sotheby’s praised Cattelan as a provocative figure in contemporary art. The sale occurred a day after René Magritte’s The Empire of Light fetched $121.2 million at Christie’s, placing Magritte among the elite artists whose works have sold for over $100 million. Both events highlight the evolving boundaries and value of modern art.

Read more: A duct-taped banana sells for $6.2 million at an art auction : NPR