A sculpture of a duct-taped banana will sell at auction for the first time at Sotheby’s, with bidding expected to reach as high as $1.5 million.
The artwork, titled “Comedian,” was first unveiled by artist Maurizio Cattelan at Art Basel in December 2019, sparking debate around the world of the meaning and significance (or lack thereof) of modern art.
Created as an edition of three, with two artists’ proofs, the work sold originally in 2019 for as much as $120,000. At the time, the sale landed on the cover of the New York Post’s Page Six, along with the headline “BANANAS! Art world gone mad — this duct-taped fruit sold for $120K.”
While many scoffed, its artist didn’t see it as a joke, telling The Art Newspaper in 2021 that “it was a sincere commentary and a reflection on what we value.” He went on to explain, “If I had to be at a fair, I could sell a banana like others sell their paintings. I could play within the system, but with my rules."
Regardless of how one views the sculpture — as a prime example of the absurdity of modern art, or a serious example of artistic commentary — there’s little doubt as to the attention the sculpture attracted when first sold, and will almost certainly experience once more if it fetches anywhere near Sotheby’s estimate range of $1 million to $1.5 million when it goes on the auction block next month.