Art goes ‘banana’: ‘Comedian’ painting could fetch $1.5 million in auction – Times of India

Five years after Maurizio Cattelan‘s creation of “Comedian” – a banana duct-taped to a wall – the artwork is set to be auctioned off by Sotheby’s in New York City next month, potentially fetching an astonishing $1.5 million. However, the winning bidder will not receive the original banana, but rather a certificate of authenticity granting them the right to display the work, along with detailed instructions on how to do so, a new banana, and a roll of duct tape.

When “Comedian” was first unveiled at Art Basel Miami in 2019, it sparked intense debate and divided opinions within the art world before garnering global attention and even gracing the cover of The Post. Sotheby’s David Galperin told The Post “Daring to redefine what art can be, Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’ became one of the most talked-about sensations of the art world,” adding that the work “continues to capture the zeitgeist.”
Cattelan initially created three editions of “Comedian” for Art Basel Miami, purchasing three bananas for less than a dollar at a local grocery store. Two of the works sold for $120,000, while the third was donated to the Guggenheim Museum. Now, “Comedian” – featuring a fresh banana and a new roll of duct tape – will be on a “global tour,” being exhibited at Sotheby’s galleries worldwide before the auction in New York City on November 20.
Art critics emphasise that the physical representation of “Comedian” is not the work itself, but rather the piece raises questions and ideas about what constitutes “art.” Author Brian C. Nixon, in his book “Beauty (and the Banana),” described “Comedian” as a “commentary on the wild world of contemporary art, communicating how culture understands, interprets, and engages with the arts.”
The popularity of “Comedian” at Art Basel was evident when performance artist David Datuna ate the banana off the wall as part of his own performance piece titled “Hungry Artist.” The banana was promptly replaced later that day. The artwork’s popularity even led to its removal from Art Basel by curators concerned about potential damage to other works due to the crowds attempting to catch a glimpse of the banana.
Cattelan, the Italian artist behind “Comedian,” has been described by Sotheby’s as “among Contemporary Art’s most brilliant provocateurs.” In 2016, he made headlines with another artwork titled “America” – a sculpture of a fully functional golden toilet.