Sotheby’s announced it would auction a piece titled “Comedian” in November 2024 in New York, estimating it will sell for between $1 million and $1.5 million. The artwork includes a banana, a roll of duct tape, a certificate of authenticity, and instructions on how to properly display the unconventional sculpture.
The piece made waves when artist Maurizio Cattelan first duct-taped a banana to a wall in 2019, titled it “Comedian,” and sold it for $120,000 at Art Basel in Miami Beach.
The art world reacted strongly — someone ate the banana, another person claimed they had the idea first, a lawsuit followed, and a student even ate another “installation” of the artwork. The work sparked countless think pieces on the meaning and value of art.
Now, one of the last editions of “Comedian” is returning to auction at Sotheby’s in New York this November. Sotheby’s expects the price to reach as high as $1.5 million.
According to CNN, the banana and tape in this auction are not the originals, as the original fruit has long since perished. Sotheby’s stated that this sale allows the public to decide the work’s “true value.”
So, is it an art statement or a clever marketing piece? Would you spend a million on it, or are your bananas strictly for breakfast?
