Banana Artwork by Maurizio Cattelan Sells for $6.2 Million

A piece of art consisting of a banana duct-taped to a wall fetched $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction on Wednesday. The buyer, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun, contributed to the ongoing debate about the nature of art.

The artwork, titled “Comedian” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, first made waves at Art Basel in Miami in 2019. It attracted such a crowd that the exhibit was removed for public safety and the protection of other artworks.

At the Sotheby’s auction in New York, the bidding started at $800,000 and swiftly escalated to $5.2 million within five minutes, plus a buyer’s premium. The final price exceeded the pre-sale high estimate of $1.5 million, with participants bidding in person, over the phone, and online.

Sun, the Chinese collector and founder of the cryptocurrency Tron won the piece through a phone bid and paid in cryptocurrency. According to Artnet.com, the buyer must replace the banana as it decomposes.

Sun expressed that the purchase was more than an acquisition of art; it symbolized a cultural phenomenon bridging art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. “I believe this piece will spark further thought and discussion and become a part of history,” he stated.

Sun also mentioned his intention to eat the banana, echoing actions taken by at least two spectators in other galleries where the piece was displayed.

Cattelan, the artist behind “Comedian,” is also known for other provocative works, such as a golden toilet and a sculpture depicting the pope struck by a meteorite.

Art experts in a Sotheby’s video described the work as humorous, absurd, and a critique of the art market’s extravagance, drawing comparisons to Banksy’s “Girl with Balloon,” which self-shredded during an auction in 2018.