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A fresh banana taped to a wall — a provocative work of conceptual art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan — was bought by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur for $6.2 million at a New York auction on Wednesday, Sotheby’s announced in a statement.
The debut of the edible creation titled “Comedian” at the Art Basel show in Miami Beach in 2019 sparked controversy and raised questions about whether it should be considered art — Cattelan’s stated goal.
Chinese-born crypto founder Justin Sun on Wednesday forked over six million for the fruit and its single strip of silver duct tape, which sold for $120,000 five years ago.
“This is not just an artwork. It represents a cultural phenomenon that connects the worlds of art, memes and the cryptocurrency community,” Sotheby’s was quoted as saying in a statement to Sun.
“I am confident that this piece will inspire further thought and debate in the future and become part of history.”
The sale featured seven potential buyers and shattered expectations, with the auction house issuing a guide price of $1-1.5 million prior to bidding.
Given the shelf life of the banana, Suraj is essentially buying a certificate of authenticity that it was made by Cattelan along with instructions on how to replace the fruit if it goes bad.
The installation auctioned Wednesday was the third iteration — the first eaten by performance artist David Daytona, who said he felt “hungry” while inspecting it at the Miami show.
Sun, who founded cryptocurrency exchange Tron, said he plans to eat his investment as well.
“In the coming days, I will personally eat a banana as part of this unique artistic experience, which honors its place in both art history and popular culture,” he said.
Along with his banana work, Cattelan is also known for creating an 18-carat, fully functional gold toilet called “America” that he used for Donald Trump during his first term in the White House. Trump was once offered a loan.
(Other than the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
