The art world goes bananas for $6.2M

In 2019, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan shook the art world with "Comedian," a conceptual art piece he unveiled at Art Basel in Miami. Modest by most definitions, the work is just under a foot square and features seemingly mundane banana and duct tape. It sparked both debate and amusement from viewers and critics alike, asking the
question, ‘Through what lens does one give value to art?’ When Sotheby’s dropped the gavel at their recent contemporary art auction, that would be one where it fetched $6.2 million. That’s one expensive banana!

Crypto-entrepreneur and art aficionado Justin Sun locked in the winning bid, quadrupling its original valuation by the auction house. The caveat—he doesn’t bring home an actual completed work. What he does get is a certificate of authenticity and installation instructions, allowing them to recreate it as an ‘original artwork by Cattelan’ on their own wall. And replace the fruit when it browns. In a New York Times article, Sun has said he intends to eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience.

“Comedian” has sparked controversy from the moment it went on display, much to Cattelan’s chagrin. Described by Sotheby’s as one of the most influential and radical works of this century, it gives true meaning to ‘conceptual art’ as what it sells is the idea and perception of art versus a tangible piece. The display at Art Basel Miami drew a lot of attention in 2019, sparking conversations about what art truly represents, how its
value is determined, and its perceived accessibility beyond the monied set. In a plot twist to this narrative, two of the pieces sold for $120,000 each. Much like Sun intends to do, two previous installations were ripped off the wall and the bananas eaten. New York-based artist David Datuna purchased the "Comedian," and it as part of his performance piece “Hungry Artist.”

This is not the first time that Maurizio Cattelan has created controversial work, with the intent to challenge a viewer’s perception of what art is. He was also the artist behind "America," a toilet cast out of 18-carat gold set up in a restroom at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. Visitors are actually allowed to use the commode, which the artist sees as an opportunity to spend time alone with a work of art, calling it “one-percent art for the ninety-nine percent.”