Fruity artwork disappears under the auction hammer for millions

A banana, a piece of duct tape and a generous helping of irony: five years after its debut, Maurizio Cattelan's 'Comedian' is causing a stir again. The famous artwork, which took the world by storm at Art Basel Miami in 2019, will soon go under the hammer at Sotheby's in New York — and the expected price tag is not to be sneezed at…

Maurizio Cattelan, known for his provocative and often humorous approach to art, created with Comedian an ironic statement about the art world. In his own words: “For me it was Comedian no joke; it was a sincere commentary and reflection on what we value.” By selling a banana like others sell their paintings, he shows how speed and commerce dominate the art world. With earlier works such as an 18-carat gold one, he makes the audience think about what art really means. 

The creation, consisting of a banana stuck to a wall, has caused a global stir since its first presentation in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach and has immediately sparked lively debates about the value of contemporary art. Comedian sold for $120.000 (€110.755) at the time. Its fame only grew when American artist David Datuna publicly ate the banana. Last year, a student in South Korea repeated the stunt by consuming the banana during an exhibition at the Leeum Museum in Seoul. 

Sotheby's estimates that the auction could fetch the equivalent of €1.4 million. But for that amount, the buyer will not receive the original banana. Moreover, the art lover who places the winning bid on Comedian cannot count on Cattelan himself to install the fruity work. Instead, the new owner will receive a certificate of authenticity that gives the right to display the work, with detailed instructions on how and when to replace the banana…