Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’ Artwork Fetches $6.2 Million at New York Auction

An artwork by Maurizio Cattelan, consisting of a banana affixed to a wall with duct tape, was sold for $6.2 million (£4.9 million) at Sotheby’s in New York. This price exceeded pre-sale estimates by four times. According to the auction house, Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun secured the “Comedian” installation by the Italian visual artist on Wednesday, surpassing six other bidders. Mr. Sun was quoted stating, “In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience.” The New York Times reported that the banana used in the artwork, now potentially among the most costly fruits ever acquired, had been purchased earlier on the same day for just $0.35. First presented to the public in 2019, “Comedian” quickly gained widespread attention and sparked considerable discussion regarding the definition of art. The installation, which has been exhibited globally, includes guidelines for replacing the banana as it deteriorates. The fruit component of the artwork has, in fact, been consumed on two separate occasions. In 2023, a South Korean art student consumed the banana while the installation was exhibited at Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art. Local media reported that the museum subsequently replaced the banana in its original position. Four years prior, a performance artist detached the banana from the wall following the artwork’s sale for $120,000 at Art Basel in Miami. The banana was promptly replaced, and no additional measures were implemented. Justin Sun is the head of the Tron blockchain network, which enables certain cryptocurrency transactions. Last year, the US Securities and Exchange Commission brought fraud accusations against him, alleging he had artificially inflated the trading volumes of TRX, Tron’s crypto token. Mr. Sun refutes these allegations. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.