The sale of Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," a banana artwork, continues to stir discussions on art's value after fetching $6.2 million at Sotheby's, with its new owner, Justin Sun, indicating plans to consume the banana as part of the artistic experience.
Duct-Taped Banana Artwork Sells for $6.2 Million at Sotheby's in New York
Duct-Taped Banana Artwork Sells for $6.2 Million at Sotheby's in New York
Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," a banana taped to a wall, achieves remarkable auction success amid ongoing debates about art's definition.
Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork, featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, just sold for an astounding $6.2 million (£4.9 million) at Sotheby's in New York, far exceeding the pre-sale estimates by four times. The auction saw Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun outbid six other competitors to acquire the "Comedian" installation by the celebrated Italian artist on Wednesday.
Mr. Sun expressed his intention to embrace the unique nature of this installation, stating, "In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience." Interestingly, this banana—now among the most expensive in history—was purchased for a mere $0.35 just hours prior, as reported by the New York Times.
Unveiled to much acclaim in 2019, "Comedian" quickly became a viral phenomenon, igniting intense discussions on the nature and definition of art. As the installation traveled globally, it came with specific instructions for replacing the banana once it rots. Throughout its journey, the fruit has been consumed multiple times. Notably, in 2023, a South Korean art student ate the banana at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, only for the museum to replace it shortly thereafter. Previously, a performance artist famously removed the banana from the wall in 2019 after it was sold for $120,000 at Art Basel in Miami.
Justin Sun is known for operating the Tron blockchain network, a platform that processes various cryptocurrency transactions. However, his business practices have drawn scrutiny; last year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused him of fraud, alleging that he artificially inflated trading volumes of TRX, Tron’s crypto token—a claim that he vehemently denies.
