Even non-art lovers have heard of this work. Made by artist Maurizio Cattelan, the banana hung on the wall with grey adhesive tape sold for $6.2 million at an auction organised by Sotheby’s.
On 20 November, the New York auction world reached yet another milestone in its history. The auction room went into a frenzy when the hammer fell for the banana hung on a wall by a piece of silver-grey ribbon by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Both adored and contested, the work has had the merit of generating debate since its creation.
Millions for a banana
The piece, named Comedian and created in 2019, was sold for 5.2 million dollars – 6.2 million with costs, or 5.7 million euros. This was six times more than the high estimate of the experts at Sotheby’s. The work was the second in a collection of three, sold at Art Basel Miami for $120,000. It was accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the fruit, which should be hung 175 centimetres from the ground at an angle of 37 degrees, and of course replaced every seven to ten days when the banana loses its freshness.
The buyer? Justin Sun, Chinese collector and founder of the TRON crypto-currency platform. For him, ‘this is not just a work of art, but a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes and the crypto-currency community.’ The businessman assures that he will ‘personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honouring its place in both art history and popular culture.’
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Featured photo : © Sotheby’s
