Banana Duct-Taped to Wall Sells for $6.2 Million at Sotheby’s Auction
In a stunning display of the often-unpredictable art market, a simple banana duct-taped to a wall sold for a staggering $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on Wednesday, The Associated Press reports.
The artwork, titled “Comedian” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, generated significant buzz when it first debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach. The piece, then priced far lower, sparked debate over its artistic merit and the nature of the contemporary art market. One artist even famously removed and ate the banana.
The winning bid of over $5.2 million (plus approximately $1 million in fees) came from Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON. Sun’s purchase, however, wasn’t of the original banana itself, but rather a certificate of authenticity granting him the right to affix a new banana to a wall and claim it as a “Comedian.”
Sun described the artwork as “a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.” He also indicated this latest iteration of “Comedian” won’t be a long-term installation.
Sotheby’s described Cattelan as “among Contemporary Art’s most brilliant provocateurs,” underscoring the piece’s deliberate challenge to conventional notions of art. The sale attracted considerable attention, with auction attendees capturing photos of the piece, displayed with two handlers wearing white gloves standing on either side.
This record-breaking sale occurred just one day after another significant auction event. A René Magritte painting, “The Empire of Light,” sold for $121.2 million at Christie’s, setting a new record for the Belgian surrealist. The painting, one of 17 versions of the same scene, was part of the collection of the late interior designer Mica Ertegun. This sale marks Magritte’s entry into the exclusive club of artists whose works have fetched over $100 million at auction, joining the ranks of masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol. Christie’s chairman, Marc Porter, hailed the sale as “a historic moment.” The buyer of the Magritte was an undisclosed telephone bidder.
