Duct-taped banana sells for more than $6 million at auction

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's conceptual artwork "Comedian," consisting of a banana attached to a wall with duct tape, sold for $6.2M at Sotheby's contemporary art auction in New York on Wednesday.

Wall Street Journal

Guardian

The artwork, which was bought by Chinese cryptocurrency firm founder Justin Sun, comes with a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the banana when it rots. This comes after the piece debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

During its initial exhibition at Art Basel, the artwork drew such large crowds that it had to be removed from display. It was also eaten twice at two separate art installations,

The final selling price significantly exceeded the initial estimate of $1-1.5 million, with seven bidders — beginning at $800K — competing for the controversial piece during five minutes of rapid bidding.

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Breitbart

The artwork, which measures 20 cm by 20 cm by 5 cm, includes specific installation requirements, including hanging the banana exactly 160 cm from the floor. It's described by Sotheby's as belonging to "the rare league of artworks that need no introduction."

FOX News

The sale occurred during a prestigious auction featuring works by renowned artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns, while a Monet 'Water Lilies' painting sold for $65.5M at the same auction house.

New York Post

NBC #3634

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 final selling price significantly exceeded the initial estimate of $1.5 million, with seven bidders competing for the controversial piece during five minutes of rapid bidding.

The artwork includes specific installation requirements, including hanging the banana exactly 160 centimeters from the floor, and has been described by Sotheby's as belonging to 'the rare league of artworks that need no introduction'.

The sale occurred during a prestigious auction featuring works by renowned artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Jasper Johns, while a Monet 'Water Lilies' painting sold for $65.5 million at the same auction house.

New York Post #5378

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.

This banana art sold for $6.2 million — but we did it ourselves for just $5.75

Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2M at Sotheby's

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Culture

"Comedian" offers a compelling critique of both art and society. Its temporary nature challenges traditional notions of permanence, while its simplicity mocks the commodification of art. By transforming an everyday object into high-value conceptual art, it provokes debate on wealth, accessibility, and what truly defines art. As society is now debating the absurdity of the piece, Maurizio Cattelan has achieved his goal.

Paintvine®

The Banana on the Wall

Modern art like this is not some unique form of social commentary but rather a money laundering scheme. Its low production costs and subjective valuation allow for inflated prices that disguise illicit transactions. It's sad that the art industry, which used to be led by the classics, has been hijacked by those who either wish to commit financial fraud or degenerate our culture.

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Why Is Modern Art So Ugly?

There is a 58.4% chance that at least one work presented at Art Basel 2030 will use an NFT, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2M at Sotheby's

Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2M at Sotheby's

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Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2M at Sotheby's

Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2M at Sotheby's

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