Duct-Taped Banana "Art" Sells For Over $6 Million!
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"Comedian," a conceptual artwork featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, fetched an astounding $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on November 20, 2024. Bidding began at $800,000 and quickly surged to $4 million and then $5.2 million, plus $1 million in auction fees. The final price surpassed the $1.2 million pre-auction estimate for the artwork.
Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, "Comedian" sparked widespread controversy when it debuted at Miami's Art Basel in 2019. Cattelan explained that the piece explored how society assigns value to everyday objects. He had initially thought of crafting a banana using resin or bronze. However, the artist ultimately chose a real banana to convey his message. The artwork gained even more fame after a visitor ate the banana, forcing officials to replace it with a backup.
Its immense popularity drew large crowds. Concerned the visitors might damage other artworks"Comedian" was eventually removed from public display. However, three editions of the artwork were sold at the time for prices ranging from $120,000 to $150,000 each. One of these was later donated to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. It remains unclear which edition was auctioned on November 20.
Regardless, five years later, Chinese-born entrepreneur Justin Sun paid over 40 times the highest original price for "Comedian". The artwork's value was not in the banana itself, which had been purchased earlier that day for just 35 cents. Instead, its worth lies in the certificate of authenticity. It grants Sun the right to duct tape a banana to a wall and call it "Comedian." He also received installation instructions, including how to replace the fruit whenever it rots.
Sun said. "[The artwork] represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community."
"Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture." he remarked.
Sun made good on this promise by devouring the fruit in a press conference held in Hong Kong on November 29, 2024.
“It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun told reporters. “It’s really quite good.”
Since the sale, a kind Samaritan has helped raise over $19,000 to support the New York fruit vendor whose banana was used in the auction.
Resources: NPR.org, Smithsonianmag.com, CNN.com
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226 Comments
- jilanowogepu10 months23 cents for los angeles
artsyf0xy78 monthslucky
- tbhxavier10 monthsHOW DID IT SELL FOR MORE THAN 5M IT IS JUST A BANANA
- the_magician10 monthsIt's made by a famous artist! So then it goes crazy on the market most of the time and no you can't just make 6 million by taping a banana to a wall you have to have a name!
- tozurycesaho10 monthsBruh, he can just use a tape that just cost 5$ and a banana cost 30 cents to copy one and eat it in front of his family!!!
ameliaj23292110 monthshow is it sold for so much and you could just buy a bunch for only 25 cents But the way he just eats it and payed so much!
can123410 monthsI don't under stand how it sold for that much.- sadiee27878 monthsIt has a deeper meaning, it represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community
skyza11 monthsHe could have used all that money to help wars and homelessness and HE just spent it on a BANANA!!!! >:( he ain’t good with money…- skyza11 monthswhy did he eat it though? he could have re-selled it for a LOT more money on etsy or ebay :(
adi_isa_pickle11 monthsThat's cool- skyza11 monthswoah.. he bought a banana for 35 cents and got 6.2 MILLION dollars back? he sure made a LOT of money!!!
aidan_w11 monthsspend 35 cents, gets $6.2 mil. back..... I think he might have made a LITTLE bit of a profit \(._.)/- ameliaj23292110 monthsFor us we pay 22 cents
mu5hr00m11 monthsJust a little bit of 💸
