Edible Gold, Once More, With Feeling

Instead of a lengthy 2007 “best of” food list, we proudly present you (via The Gurgling Cod) with this single edible, the latest and hopefully last stunt luxury foodstuff in a year remorselessly filled with them. It comes, somewhat improbably and definitely ironically, from the gift shop at the newly opened New Museum, and it’s got karats: Edible gold crumbled into capsules, a massive $275 for the starter set. Shown here to the left, a stunning collection of three at $91.67 a pop. But what a rush.

Designed and made by Tobias Wong and Just Another Rich Kid, the New Museum’s website explains: “Pure gold passes straight through the body and ends up in your stool resulting in sparkly shit!”

First of all, if you feel this last sentence calls for a half dozen more exclamation points, you’re not the only one. Second, if you’ve been giving some serious thought to turning your poop gold, these pills are offered at a 10% discount for Museum members, so there’s never been a better time to join. Other places are selling these same gold poop pills for $429, and there’s no way of telling where today’s art-food-shit market is going. However, cheese puffs at the New Museum's Cafe are still $5 an order.

As is the case with restaurant markups, like a $15 steak that costs $60 at a white tablecloth and antique candelabra place, the price of these pills may make you curious about going DIY. If gold poop is on your “must have” list this season but your budget is small, some art supply gold leaf from Pearl, a few empty gelatin capsules (there may not be a vegan option), and a clean, folded sheet of photocopy paper (for pouring) should get the job done for less than $40. Just don’t accuse us of being anti-gold-poop-art-for-art's sake, or guilty of a Giuliani/dung freakout like, and keep your fingers crossed that food in 2008 comes with a little less glitter on both ends of the digestive tract.

New Museum, 235 Bowery. (212) 219-1222

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Hugh Merwin in Arts and Events, Food on December 19, 2007 10:55 AM

Comments [rss]

DaLata

"Tasteless, odorless gold. To EAT! and I thought, wow man, if that isn't the ultimate 'FUCK YOU!' to poor people, then I don't know what is."

David Cross

Dave Hogarty

I believe the saying is "A fool and his money are soon sharted."

1987porsche944

I'm going panning for gold in the sewers....

slappy

Let them eat shit!

Toby von Meistersinger

A fool and his money are soon parted. Or is it pooped now?

Dave Hogarty

New euphemism for anal sex: "Staking a claim."

Dave Hogarty

"I smell gold in them there stools! Wait, nope, I just smell shit."

cwbuecheler

Just the thing to keep on your person so you can pop one after the Nth homeless person begs you for change on the train-ride home! Forget the less fortunate with new, edible gold capsules!

Christ, this country is fucked up. I went on a big tirade the last time there was an edible gold story about how awful it is. I'm not sure I have the energy for another one right now. :P

zodak

i got bling everywhere else, i'm just pimpin' my poo, son! don't hate.

Politburo

I don't think you can make pyrite into a leaf like gold.. but there are other substitutes.

"Is it even safe to ingest gold leaf?"

A guy tried to sue Goldschlager about 10 years ago, but IIRC wasn't able to prove that the gold did anything harmful. There are some papers, though: link

WesleySnipesAlot

Jonathan Swift, Thorstein Veblen and Friedrich Engels aren't just spinning in their graves about this... they are doing a 3 man trapeze act of "holy shit." Didn't I read this already in some heavy-on-the-satire Swift novel? Its like these people want a French Revolution part deux. "Yes, I always shit gold in my McCondo. Oh! don't you love those bathroom fixtures?!"

matty

"Isn't this anti-alchemytrical, where one turns gold into shit rather than the other way around?"

Well to do that you have to take poo filled suppositories and wait for them to...never mind.

JacqueMehoff

the boys at GS gotta spend their bonus money and this is as good as anything else they thought of buying. can you imagine all the charitable scenarios. You flung poo at me, no my man, that's gold, Merry Xmas.

Snoopy

I bet they load the capsules with fool's gold. Why would they waste the real stuff? Plus would any of the idiots buying them know the difference?

Isn't this anti-alchemytrical, where one turns gold into shit rather than the other way around?

EastRiver

Now I am convinced the apocalypse is upon us.

JMH

When artists ask why nobody respects them, this is why.

matty

Isn't this just another way to get into the newspaper?

Also, the funny thing was is that they knock the price down 3 whole dollars to $427 if you are a museum member. At least that's what I read on gawker.