This viral banana artwork on sale again — and it could now be worth $1.5 million официальный сервис мерседес
When a banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $120,000 in 2019, social media uproar and an age-old debate about the meaning of art ensued.
But artist Maurizio Cattelan’s viral creation, titled “Comedian,” may yet prove a sound investment: On Friday, auction house Sotheby’s announced that one of the artwork’s three “editions” is going back on sale — this time with an estimate of $1 million to $1.5 million.
For their money, the winning bidder will receive a roll of duct tape and one banana, as well as a certificate of authenticity and official instructions for installing the work. Sotheby’s confirmed to CNN that neither the tape nor, thankfully, the banana are the originals.
“‘Comedian’ is a conceptual artwork, and the actual physical materials are replaced with every installation,” an auction spokesperson said via email.
Cattelan and French art gallery Perrotin made headlines around the world five years ago when they displayed “Comedian” with a six-figure asking price at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair. The original was created using a banana bought in a Miami grocery store, though the gallery said it could be replaced, as per the artist’s instructions.
The art world was split on the work’s merits, though some critics saw it as rooted in the rich tradition of conceptual works — dating back to Marcel Duchamp’s famous mounted urinal — that question the value of art itself. Crowds soon formed, with fair attendees lining up to see the viral installation.