A banana duct-taped to a wall, titled ‘Comedian’ by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, sold for a staggering $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on Wednesday. The buyer, crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun, acquired the provocative artwork, which debuted at Miami’s Art Basel in 2019.
The sale attracted seven bidders and far exceeded its $1–1.5 million guide price. Originally sold for $120,000, ‘Comedian’ sparked debates over what constitutes art. Sun is purchasing a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the banana when it decays.
Also Read: Elon Musk Changes Twitter Logo To ‘Meme Dog’ As Cryptocurrency Surges.
The third version of the artwork was auctioned, as the original was famously eaten by performance artist David Datuna during its Miami exhibition. Sun has hinted he might follow suit and eat the banana himself.
The duct-taped fruit has become a symbol of conceptual art’s extremes, with Sun’s purchase further cementing its controversial status in modern art history.
Leave feedback about this
You must be logged in to post a comment.