Maurizio Cattelan's 'Comedian' Banana Artwork Fetches $6.2 Million at Sotheby's
In a remarkable event at Sotheby's auction in New York, Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork 'Comedian', featuring a banana taped to a wall, sold for an astonishing $6.2 million. The auction took place on November 20, 2024, and attracted significant attention, with multiple bidders vying for the piece. The final price exceeded Sotheby's initial estimate of $1 to $1.5 million, highlighting the ongoing fascination with this provocative work of art.
The banana, which was originally purchased from a local supermarket, first gained notoriety during its debut at the Art Basel show in Miami Beach in 2019. The piece sparked outrage when artist David Datuna removed the banana from its display and ate it in front of shocked onlookers, challenging perceptions of value in contemporary art. At that time, the artwork was sold for $120,000, raising questions about the nature of art and its market.
The recent auction saw the price escalate from $800,000 to $5.2 million in just a few minutes, culminating in a final bid that included fees. The buyer, identified as Justin Sun, a Chinese-American entrepreneur and founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron, expressed his view that the artwork transcends traditional art, bridging the gap between art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. Sun, who previously made headlines for purchasing Alberto Giacometti's 'The Nose' for $78.4 million, stated his intention to
