NEW YORK (AP) — A banana at your local grocery store might cost less than a dollar, but one duct-taped to a wall? That could soon fetch over $1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.
The artwork, titled “Comedian”, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and features a simple yellow banana held up by silver duct tape. It first appeared in 2019 at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair, where it quickly became a viral phenomenon.
Was it a joke, a critique of the art industry, or something else entirely? One artist famously peeled the banana off the wall and ate it, prompting a replacement to be put up. The spectacle attracted such massive crowds that “Comedian” was eventually removed from public view. Despite its unconventional nature, three editions of the piece sold for between $120,000 and $150,000, according to the Perrotin gallery.
Now, Sotheby’s has estimated its value at a staggering $1 million to $1.5 million, with the auction set for November 20. David Galperin, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art, described the piece as both profound and provocative.
“Cattelan’s work holds up a mirror to the contemporary art world,” Galperin explained. “It challenges us to think about how we value art and what we even consider to be art.”
What Are Buyers Actually Purchasing?
If you’re imagining the banana from Miami Beach, think again — those bananas have long since perished. The piece isn’t about the fruit itself but the concept behind it. Buyers receive a certificate of authenticity, which grants them the right to recreate the banana and duct tape display as an original artwork by Cattelan.
The humorous title “Comedian” suggests that Cattelan likely didn’t intend for the piece to be taken too seriously. However, Chloé Cooper Jones, an assistant professor at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, believes there’s more to the work than just a joke.
“Premiering at a high-profile art fair visited by wealthy collectors, ‘Comedian’ was designed to grab attention on social media,” Cooper Jones noted. “It might seem like a dare to the collectors to invest in something absurd, but it’s possible the artwork goes deeper than just mocking the rich.”
Cattelan, known as a “trickster artist,” often blends humor with darker themes. Cooper Jones suggests that his works, including “Comedian,” explore complex and sometimes uncomfortable ideas about history, society, and ourselves.
A Deeper Symbolism Behind the Banana
The banana, a seemingly mundane fruit, has a complicated history tied to imperialism, labor exploitation, and corporate power. “It’s a powerful symbol of global trade and its inherent exploitations,” Cooper Jones remarked. If “Comedian” forces viewers to confront their own complicity in the production and consumption of everyday items, it becomes a thought-provoking tool rather than a mere stunt.
A Bold New Direction in Contemporary Art
The auction of “Comedian” coincides with the sale of a Claude Monet masterpiece from his famous “Water Lilies” series, expected to sell for around $60 million. When asked to compare the two artworks, Galperin noted that even impressionism was dismissed as non-art when it first emerged.
“No profound, meaningful artwork in history has ever been universally accepted without causing discomfort or debate,” Galperin pointed out.
In the end, whether you view Cattelan’s banana as a gimmick or a groundbreaking commentary, it’s undeniable that “Comedian” has sparked a conversation — and that may be its greatest achievement.
