$6.2 million for a banana? Cattelan’s provocative artwork stuns NYC

Maurizio Cattelan’s provocative artwork, Comedian—a banana, duct-taped to a wall—has sold for an extraordinary $6.2 million (£4.9m) at Sotheby’s in New York. The sale price was four times the pre-auction estimate.

Justin Sun, a Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur, won the piece by the renowned Italian artist, outbidding six others. Sun expressed his admiration for the artwork in a statement shared on the social networking platform X, claiming he hopes it will inspire future discussions and become part of art history. He described his acquisition as “an honour” and expressed hope that it would continue to influence art aficionados around the world.

Sun, however, added an unexpected twist in his announcement: he plans to eat the banana. According to his statement, consuming the fruit is intended as part of the unique artistic experience.

According to reports, the banana, which was purchased earlier that day for only $0.35, is not included in the sale. Instead, the value of Comedian lies in its accompanying certificate and its conceptual nature. First unveiled in 2019, the artwork quickly went viral, sparking heated debates about the definition of art. It also includes specific instructions for replacing the banana when it inevitably decays.

The banana has been consumed more than once over the years. In 2023, a South Korean art student ate the fruit while the installation was on display at Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art. The museum simply replaced the banana without incident. Similarly, in 2019, a performance artist removed and ate the banana during Art Basel in Miami shortly after it was sold for $120,000. The artwork was promptly restored with a fresh piece of fruit.

Justin Sun, founder of the Tron blockchain network, which facilitates cryptocurrency transactions, remains a controversial figure. In 2023, the US Securities and Exchange Commission accused him of fraud, alleging he artificially inflated the trading volumes of Tron’s crypto token, TRX. Sun has denied these charges.

Although the banana itself may soon be eaten, the legacy of Comedian endures as a boundary-pushing statement that challenges traditional notions of art while continuing to provoke thought and conversation, one with its roots in the blockchain cosmos.

(Photo by Unsplash)

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