In the same week that Sotheby’s auction house sold a $65 million Claude Monet piece, it was a multi-million dollar banana duct on a wall that stole the show.
The work by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan was unveiled at Art Basel in Miami in 2019, where it was promptly devoured by performance artist David Daytona. In another exhibition in 2023 at the Lyum Museum of Art in Seoul, the banana was eaten again.
The value of the artwork does not depend on the banana, which is often refreshed by the owner of the artwork as it decays. Instead, the piece is valuable because of the artist’s intention and its certificate of authenticity. And Cattelan has made it clear that he sees the piece as no laughing matter.
“To me, Comedian was not a joke. It was a sincere comment and a reflection of what we value,” he told The Art Newspaper in 2021.
Since his first exhibition, “Comedian” in 2019, he has become a symbol of provocation against the conventional art world. As Sotheby’s head of contemporary art in America, David Galperin said:
“The Catalan comedian is about the conditions that characterize our understanding of what makes art — and one of those conditions is value,” Galperin said in a statement.
Still, for its young crypto buyer, it can also be a bit of fun.
Justin Sun, the Chinese founder of the Tron blockchain and a cryptocurrency of the same name, beat out six other contenders for the title of “comedian” on Wednesday. Although a pre-bid estimate placed the work at $1.5 million, according to Sotheby’s, Sun plunked down $6.2 million (including a $1 million fee) for the piece.
In the coming days, he plans to cook from the famous artwork.
“I am honored to be the proud owner of this iconic work and look forward to creating more inspiration and impact for art lovers around the world. Furthermore, in the coming days, I will personally present the banana to this artist. will eat as part of a unique artistic experience, one that honors its place in both art history and popular culture,” Sun said in a statement.
In a post on X Thursday, he summed up the purchase more succinctly: “Bananas,” he wrote.
Bananas
— HE Justin Sun 🍌 (@justinsuntron) November 21, 2024
Still, just because he plans to eat it, doesn’t mean the multi-million dollar work won’t be worth it. As part of the sale, Sun will receive a roll of duct tape, a banana, and most importantly, a certificate of authenticity. Business Insider Reported
Although some, like The New York Posthave been able to recreate the artwork for less than $6, no one can call their copycats “comedians” unless they have a certificate of authenticity.
Sun will get a 14-page manual on how to refresh the piece. The Wall Street Journal Information with specific instructions on which direction the banana should be facing (always to the right), at what height it should be taped (eye level), and which direction the banana should not be turned (horizontally). is given
While he said he intended to eat a banana, of flax Posts X suggests Thursday that the crypto-brother may be willing to make an exception — if SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wants to take the artwork on an interstellar journey instead.
“I’m ready to donate my banana to Elon Musk, tape it to the body of a SpaceX rocket, and send it to both Mars and the Moon,” he wrote.
