Duct-Taped Banana Artwork Back on Sale for $1 Million

In 2019, a banana duct-taped to a wall grabbed attention and sparked debates on social media about what truly makes something “art.” Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and titled “Comedian,” the piece sold for $120,000 at the time.

Now, one of the original three versions of the artwork is back on sale, with Sotheby’s auction house estimating it could sell for between $1 million and $1.5 million.

The winning buyer will receive a roll of duct tape, a banana, and a certificate confirming it’s an official piece of art. They’ll also get instructions on how to set it up, as the materials are meant to be replaced each time it’s displayed.

A Surprising Art Success

When “Comedian” first appeared at the Art Basel fair in Miami Beach, it quickly went viral. Crowds gathered to see the piece, with some people appreciating it as a clever look at what we value as art. Others saw it as a joke, similar to famous art pieces that push boundaries, like Marcel Duchamp’s mounted urinal.

The piece took an unexpected turn when performance artist David Datuna pulled the banana off the wall and ate it in front of shocked onlookers, calling it his own form of art. Despite the incident, all three versions of “Comedian” sold: two to private collectors and one to the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

A Deeper Meaning

Cattelan has said “Comedian” isn’t just a prank but a comment on what people consider valuable. In a 2021 interview, he called it “a reflection on what we value.” Known for his humorous and challenging work, Cattelan did not comment on the upcoming auction.

In a statement, David Galperin, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art in the Americas, called “Comedian” a “bold piece of pure genius.” He added that putting it back on sale would let the public decide its true worth.

The artwork was displayed recently at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, where an art student removed and ate the banana, saying he was simply hungry. The museum replaced it with a fresh banana, sticking to the spirit of Cattelan’s concept.

Sotheby’s will show “Comedian” in New York on November 20, and before that, it will go on a world tour, stopping in cities like London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles.

With “Comedian” back on the auction block, Cattelan’s work continues to challenge ideas about what art is and what it’s worth.