[duck-taped banana/ Photo Credit to Pexels]

November 2024, witnessed an event in the art world that honestly sounded like a joke at first. 

A piece of art titled “Comedian” by Maurizio Cattelan, which is literally a real banana taped to a wall, sold for an unbelievable $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction.

The bidding started at $800,000 and quickly surged, completely blowing past the expected price of $1.2 million.

Many people couldn’t believe their ears. 

”How could a banana cost more than a mansion?”, they questioned.

The artist who created Comedian was Maurizio Cattelan, an Italian artist known for making strange and funny artwork that often sparks debate.

When the banana was first shown at Art Basel in Miami in 2019, it instantly became the center of attention.

Some people thought it was smart and meaningful, while others thought it was ridiculous. 

Cattelan explained that the artwork was meant to make people think about how society decides what things are worth.

He even said he thought about making the banana out of metal or resin, but he chose a real one because it made the message clearer and more relatable. 

It first gained fame in 2019 when it debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach, one of the world’s most influential modern art fairs.

At the original exhibition, the people were both fascinated and puzzled how something so simple could be considered an artwork. One artist even interacted with it directly, by eating it.

It was later replaced, showing again that the idea of the artwork mattered more than the fruit itself.

Cattenlan is known for making art that challenges traditional artwork ideas. 

Other than focusing on painting or sculpting skills, the Comedian is an example of conceptual art, which means the idea behind the artwork is more important than its visual appearance.

The buyers don’t actually buy the banana itself because it will eventually  mold and rot. 

Despite its simple appearance, it quickly became famous.

In 2019, three versions of the Comedian were sold for over $100,000 each. 

In November 2024, one edition of the Comedian was auctioned at Sotheby’s, a renowned auction house in New York City. 

The artwork was initially estimated to sell for approximately $1 million. 

However, the bidding quickly escalated, and the final price of the artwork reached $5.2 million.

With additional fees, the total cost exceeded $6 million.

The winning bidder was Justin Sun, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur who makes money by creating or working with cryptocurrency companies.

Sun explained that he bought the artwork because it represents modern art culture, including social media humor and discussions about its value.

Later on he ate the banana in public, saying that it was a part of the artwork’s meaning and message.

The sale of the Comedian had caused many people to debate on what made something valuable. 

Some believed it was ridiculous to spend millions of dollars on a banana duck-tapped on to a wall. 

Others argue that art is about ideas, creativity, and just starting conversations, not just the materials used.

Whether people loved the Comedian or not, it has become one of the most talked-about artworks in recent history. 

It shows that not all artwork needs to have expensive metals or materials, but rather it is the idea or the meaning behind it that matters the most.