Banana on tape sold at auction for $6.2 million: Maurizio Cattelan's installation amazes the world
The installation "Comedian," a banana taped to a wall by Maurizio Cattelan, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $6.2 million, exceeding expectations and sparking renewed discussions.
Photo: pixabay.com
The installation "Comedian" by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan has once again shocked the art world. At a Sotheby’s auction held on Wednesday, November 20, the unusual piece – a banana taped to a wall – was sold for $6.2 million.
This significantly surpassed the initial estimated value, which was set between $1 and $1.5 million.
The new owner, Justin Sun, founder of the blockchain platform TRON from China, confirmed the purchase on his X (formerly Twitter) page. "This is not just a piece of art, it’s a cultural phenomenon that unites the worlds of art, memes, and the crypto community," he wrote, announcing plans to eat the banana as part of creating a new art experience.
"Comedian" was first presented in 2019 at the Art Basel fair in Miami Beach. At that time, the piece caused a massive stir, barely contained by the event organizers.
Many critics called the piece a biting commentary on consumerism and the value of art, while others saw it as a provocation.
According to Cattelan himself, the most important part of the installation is not the banana but the idea behind it.
The artist noted that the fruit must be regularly replaced to maintain the relevance of the artwork. The new owner received detailed instructions for replacing the banana and a certificate of authenticity from the artist.
The sculpture-metaphor, blending contemporary art, viral trends, and social media, has already gone down in history.
The sale at Sotheby’s confirmed that "Comedian" remains a powerful symbol of redefining the boundaries of art, its value, and perception.
Earlier, it was reported that in Austria, a painting by Gustav Klimt, "Portrait of Miss Liser," discovered after a century, was sold at auction for 30 million euros.
It also became known that at the Tefaf art fair, a portrait of a woman painted by Van Gogh in 1884 was sold for over 4.5 million euros.