The auction of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian (2019) has sent the art world into a frenzy.
The artwork – which comes in three editions featuring a banana, a roll of duct tape, a set of instructions on how to install the piece and a certificate of authenticity – hammered at US$5.2 million (nearly AU$8 million) at the Sotheby’s Contemporary Evening Auction in New York on 20 November. The price far exceeded its now relatively conservative estimate of US$1-1.5 million (AU$1.52-2.28 million).
Read: Controversial duct-taped banana that drew crowds at NGV Triennial could fetch over US$1 million
The buyer is Chinese-born crypto billionaire Justin Sun, who bid online against six other competitors and will pay a total of US$6.2 million (AU$9.53 million), including buyer’s fees, through cryptocurrency.
Sun immediately made the acquisition public through his X account, which has 3.6 million followers, stating, “This is not just an artwork; it represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes and the cryptocurrency community.”
He added, “In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience…”
On 22 November, Sun shared another post in which he said, “I’m willing to donate my banana to Elon Musk, tape it to the body of a SpaceX rocket, and send it to both Mars and the moon!”
People on social media and across media publications were quick to weigh in on the sensational sale. Want to know more? Check out this video explainer by art historian and curator, Carrie Scott.
