If someone told you a banana taped to a wall could sell for $1 million, you might think they were pulling your leg. But that’s precisely what’s happening at the international arthouse Sotheby’s, where Maurizio Cattelan’s famous artwork ‘Comedian’ is about to hit the auction block for an estimated price between $1 million to $1.5 million.
This unique piece has ignited debates, fueled memes, and made people question both the meaning of art and their grocery lists. Let’s take a look at what this fabled fruit is about.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. What is ‘Comedian’?
The piece is simple yet absurd: a banana duct-taped to a wall. First debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, ‘Comedian’ became a cultural phenomenon, selling three editions for up to $150,000 each. The banana used in the original piece was bought by Maurizio Cattelan for only about 30 cents, states an article by The Guardian.
The piece even inspired a few bold snackers to eat the bananas on display. According to a report by GQ, one such incident, dubbed ‘Hungry Artist’ in 2019, saw Georgian performance artist David Datuna devour the banana during the exhibition, declaring it his own artistic commentary.
The ‘artwork’ that goes on bid at Sotheby’s on November 21 is one of the three original pieces created by Cattelan, which is being resold in this auction. While Sotheby’s has not revealed who the seller of this ‘Comedian’ is, they have confirmed that the current owner had acquired it from one of the original buyers.
However, if you want to own the piece for yourself, here’s the catch: you wouldn’t be paying for just the fruit or the tape. You’re actually buying the concept.
Buying the ‘Comedian’ comes with a certificate of authenticity and detailed instructions on how to install it. The banana and tape? They’re meant to be replaced regularly—because, well, bananas rot.
You can go to the official website of Sotheby’s to make a bid yourself, if you want!
What makes ‘Comedian’ so valuable?
In a press release announcing the auction, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, David Galperin, said the artwork “balances profound critical thought and subversive wit” and is a “defiant work of pure genius”, saying it challenges us to rethink what we value in art.
But is it a critique of the art world’s excess? A jab at capitalism? Or just a big, expensive joke?
The maker of ‘Comedian’, Maurizio Cattelan is known as a “trickster artist”, blending humour with deeper social commentary. Across the internet and the greater art community worldwide, ‘Comedian’ has been interpreted as a metaphor for global trade, colonial exploitation, and consumer culture—using a banana, the world’s most commodified fruit, as its centrepiece.
The “artwork” has also been compared to Andy Warhol’s iconic pop-art banana, signalling a continuation of art’s playful critique of consumerism.
But ‘Comedian’ isn’t all laughs. It’s also been the subject of lawsuits and controversies. In one case, a US artist sued Cattelan, claiming the piece copied his earlier work involving duct-taped fruit. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2023, according to a report by CNN.
Nonetheless, as bidding opens in a few days, the art world holds its breath. Will ‘Comedian’ once again poke fun at its own absurdity by selling for a fortune? Or will it serve as another reminder that, in contemporary art, anything—yes, even a banana—can be priceless?
