The world of art has ended.
Five years after its creation, Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” — consisting of a banana taped to the wall — could fetch a cool $1.5 million when it is auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York City next month.
However, what you actually get for $1.5 million is not a real banana.
The art lover who makes the winning bid on “The Comedian” cannot expect the Catalan to come and install the Frutti work in their home.
Instead, they will receive a certificate of authenticity, giving them the right to show the work and detailed instructions on how to display it.
Additionally, they will receive a new banana and a roll of duct tape.
The infamous artwork shattered the pretense of the creative industry at the time Initially unveiled at Art Basel Miami in 2019It fiercely divided the audience at a Florida art fair before making global headlines and even appearing on the cover of The Post.
“Daring to redefine what art could be, Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’ became one of the art world’s most talked-about sensations,” David Galperin of Sotheby’s told The Post.
Cattelan initially created three versions of “Comedian” for Art Basel Miami, purchasing three bananas for less than a dollar each at a local grocery store.
Two of the artworks later sold for an astonishing $120,000, while the third was donated to the Guggenheim Museum.
Now, the “Comedian” – consisting of a fresh banana and a new roll of duct tape – is going on a “global tour”, being displayed at Sotheby’s galleries around the world before being auctioned off in New York City on November 20. Is.
“This revolutionary work of art will spark the imagination and spark debate as it tours the world in our galleries, while giving the public a chance to witness the artist’s magic once again,” Galperin told The Post.
Art critics have emphasized that the physical representation of “The Comedian” is not the work itself, instead saying that the piece actually presents questions and ideas about what constitutes “art”.
Author Brian C. Nixon declared in his book, “The Comedian” is a commentary on the wild world of contemporary art, exploring how the culture understands, interprets, and engages with art. “Beauty (and banana).”
And, given the publicity the work received at Art Basel five years ago, there is no shortage of people who want to engage with the work.
While on display at the Florida Art Fair, performance artist David Datuna ate a banana from the wall, and described the act as a performance piece titled “Hungry Artist”.
The banana was replaced later that day.
“The Comedian” became so popular that it was forced to be removed from Art Basel by curators, fearing that other works would be damaged due to crowds trying to catch a glimpse of the banana.
Cattelan – the Italian artist who created “The Comedian” – has been described by Sotheby’s as “one of the most brilliant provocateurs of contemporary art”.
In 2016, he came into limelight after creating an artwork titled “America” – a fully functional golden toilet sculpture.
