It is undoubtedly the most expensive banana in the world! The images went around the world. It is about Comediana work of Art that we owe to the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Wednesday evening, a simple banana taped to the wall with silver adhesive tape was sold for $6.2 million during an auction organized by Sotheby’s in New York. This creation, signed by the Italian artist, has once again demonstrated its power of seduction and controversy in the world of contemporary art.
After a “world tour” in Paris, then London, Milan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Tokyo and Los Angeles, the banana found its buyer in New York. The suspense was at its peak as seven buyers competed to acquire this unique work. In just a few minutes, the price went from $800,000 to a staggering $5.2 million, for a total of $6.2 million after selling fees. Among these buyers, it is Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron, who won the bid.
The buyer promised to eat the banana
In a Sotheby’s press release released shortly after the sale, Sun underlined the importance of this purchase: “It’s not just art. It represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes and the cryptocurrency community.” He even admitted his intention to “eat the banana to make it a unique artistic experience and honor its place in both art history and popular culture.”
The art of provocation
Since its first public appearance in 2019 during Art Basel Miami Beach, Comedian by Maurizio Cattelan has never stopped getting people talking. The artist admits to being provocative. The work, existing in three copiesquestions the limits and value of modern art. The first was acquired for $120,000 by an American gallery in December 2019. Except that a few days later, the American artist David Datuna took this banana off the wall to eat it, in order to denounce its price. Another copy was donated to the famous Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Sotheby’s had previously estimated the value of Comedian between $1 and $1.5 million. The exciting duel over this taped banana, however, exceeded all expectations. We will remember that the day before this sale, Christie’s had broken another record with The empire of lights by René Magritte, sold for $121 million.
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