when donald trump asks a leading US museum to borrow a painting for the white house, a hilarious response fitting the somewhat unbelievable narrative that is recent american history should be expected but it doesn’t make it any less hilarious. the first couple had asked the guggenheim if they could borrow vincent van gogh’s ‘landscape in the snow’ for the first lady’s private quarters and instead they were offered a toilet made of solid gold.

 

 

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the white house contacted the guggenheim museum in new york to ask for the painting, an act not unusual for presidents (apparently the obamas preferred abstract art). what is more unusual is that the request not be fulfilled, never mind responded to in such a perfect fashion. ‘many thanks for your request to the guggenheim museum to borrow vincent van gogh’s ‘landscape in the snow’ for the president and first lady’s private quarters in the white house,’ museum curator nancy spector wrote in an email to the white house, according to the washington post. ‘I am sorry, however, to inform you that we are unable to participate in this loan.’

 

‘we are sorry not to be able to accommodate your original request, but remain hopeful that this special offer may be of interest,‘ spector continues in the email before offering a solid 18k gold toilet from contemporary italian artist maurizio cattelan instead. the working toilet, an art peace called ‘america‘ has been on display at the museum in one of its public restrooms ‘for all to use in a wonderful act of generosity,‘ according to the email.

 

it is stated that cattelan himself, who has previously been critical of mr trump, offered the toilet to the trumps he told the newspaper the issue was ‘very delicate’ and when asked to explain the meaning of his gold toilet and his offer of a loan, he said: ‘what’s the point of our life? everything seems absurd until we die and then it makes sense.‘


credits
cover image courtesy of guggenheim foundation, read more here.