Duct-taped banana stuck to a wall sells at Sotheby’s for millions

Monkeys aren’t the only ones scratching their heads, after a banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $US6.2 million – the equivalent of nearly $AUD10 million.

Whether Italian artist and renowned* prankster Maurizio Cattelan is the Comedian of the work’s title or not, he must surely be laughing now.

The single banana stuck to a white wall with duct tape could be the perfect critique* of the absurdities and excesses of the global art market, or it could be the most expensive joke in history. Either way, the venerable* Sotheby’s auction house said Comedian “quickly erupted into a viral global sensation that drew record crowds, social media inundation*, landed the cover of The New York Post, and divided viewers and critics alike”.

The piece travelled to Australia last summer for its temporary installation at the National Gallery of Victoria but Comedian was first unveiled five years ago at Art Basel Miami Beach 2019. It was a huge hit on debut, attracting so many visitors at one point that it had to be removed from public view. It has also been eaten – which is the lucky new owner’s plan for the current banana too.

Sky News reported that Justin Sun, founder of cryptocurrency* platform TRON, beat out other bidders at the auction. And what does his nearly $10 million investment get him aside from a healthy snack? A certificate of authenticity* that gives him the authority to duct-tape a banana to a wall and call it “Comedian.”

In a statement, Mr Sun said Comedian “represents a cultural phenomenon* that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community”.

But the latest version won’t last long.

“Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honouring its place in both art history and popular culture,” Mr Sun said.

Three editions of Comedian sold in its first year for between $US120,000 and $US150,000, according to the Perrotin Gallery, which was handling sales at the time. Five years later, estimates for the piece predicted a healthy $US1 million sale at Sotheby’s, but the result was completely bananas.

Sotheby’s has previously called Cattelan, whose works include a solid 18-carat gold loo, a mural of giant feet at this year’s Venice Biennale and an unsettling sculpture series of hanging horses, one of contemporary art’s “most brilliant provocateurs*”.

“He has persistently disrupted* the art world’s status quo in meaningful, irreverent*, and often controversial ways,” the auction house said.

Bidding started at $US800,000 and shortly sailed past $US2 million, then $US3 million, then $US4 million.

“It’s slipping through the auction room,” the auctioneer joked.

The final hammer price* in the room was $US5.2 million, which didn’t include about $US1 million in auction house fees, which will be added to Mr Sun’s big banana bill.

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GLOSSARY

renowned: famous or very well known for something

critique: examining and judging a situation, industry, someone’s work or their ideas

venerable: respected or revered because of age or history, character, reputation or position

inundation: being flooded by something

authenticity: validity, legitimacy, genuineness

cryptocurrency: digital or virtual form of currency

phenomenon: something very popular that causes a sensation or is a marvel of some kind

provocateurs: a writer, artist, political activist, etc. whose works, ideas, or activities challenges accepted values or practices

disrupted: challenging, disturbing, up-ending the usual state or process of something

irreverent: not showing respect to people or things that usually demand respect or disregarding the way something is normally done

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QUICK QUIZ

What was the approximate sale price of Comedian in Australian dollars?

Which Australian gallery installed the work as part of a temporary exhibition last summer?

Who bought the work at auction and what is his business background?

What does the new owner plan to do with the artwork?

What are the other works bt Maurizio Cattelan mentioned in the article?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

1. Inspired by Maurizio

Cattelan’s artwork takes a simple object and displays it in a way that is surprising. It is a simple idea that has gained a lot of attention. What unusual or unexpected objects could you include in an artwork and how would you display them? Make a list of 10 ideas.

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity

Curriculum Links: English, Visual Arts

2. Extension

Choose one of your ideas from the list you made above. Either create the actual piece or draw a picture of what it would look like. Then write a statement explaining your artwork and the “meaning” behind it. You can make your statement as crazy as you like!

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity

Curriculum Links: English, Visual Arts

VCOP ACTIVITY

Read this!

A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.

Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.

Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?

Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.