http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/16/arts/design/an-18-carat-throne-arrives-at-the-guggenheim-and-yes-it-works.html 2016-09-15 16:54:32 An 18-Carat Throne Arrives at the Guggenheim. And Yes, It Works. A reporter tries it out — and finds it looks best when in use. === The throne has arrived. The And yet after all the high-wire, high-security work to make the piece in a foundry in Florence, its installation was not much different from that of any toilet in any restroom in the world. Michael Zall, the museum’s associate director of facilities operations, said that a trusted plumber hooked it up, “with some butterflies in his stomach.” He added: “If he was ever a regular plumber, he’s not anymore.” Mr. Cattelan, 55, who mostly lives in Milan, was on hand Tuesday as the piece was being tested out, dressed in a bright saffron-colored shirt, giddy and a bit nervous. He’s known one of the art world’s He invited me to try it. Because I both needed to and wanted to, I did, locking the door behind me. I’ve interacted with some art in my years of writing about it — I once got to tweak an I asked him if he liked it, now that it was finally in place. “I’m happy because it’s not on a pedestal, it’s not in a gallery,” he said. “It’s in a little room, just waiting for you whenever you need it.” He added: “When I saw it in there the other day for the first time, I cried. Well, almost.”