The Facts
The artwork, which debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019, comes with a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the banana when it rots.
During its initial exhibition at Art Basel, the artwork drew such large crowds that it had to be removed from display, and at one point, a performance artist ate the banana as part of his own artistic statement.
The Spin
The astronomical price for a simple banana and duct tape exemplifies the absurdity of the contemporary art market and its disconnection from reality. A nearly identical replica can be created for less than $6, making the multi-million dollar sale price difficult to justify on any practical level. The work appears to mock the very notion of art having such extreme monetary value.
