MIAMI — You can get a lot for $150,000 – a sports car, multiple vacations and…a single banana?
This was the going rate for a spotty banana duct-taped to a wall at Art Basel Miami by artist Maurizio Cattelan. The much talked-about art installation, titled ‘Comedian’, sold three times to three separate buyers for US$120,000 to $150,000 each time.
According to the Perrotin gallery where the installation was displayed, the buyers didn’t actually purchase the single piece of fruit, but rather the concept of the piece, which comes with a certificate of authenticity from Cattelan as well as installation instructions. Buyers can then make a trip to their local hardware and grocery stores to recreate the piece in their own homes.
Artnet News reports that two pieces quickly sold for $120,000, after which Perrotin raised the price to $150,000 for the third piece, which will be sold to a museum. The bananas were bought at a local grocery store. No instructions were given on what to do as the banana ages.
The high-priced banana gained even more notoriety when New York City-based performance artist David Datuna pulled the fruit off the wall on Saturday and ate it. He posted a video on Instagram titled ‘Hungry Artist’, writing: “Art performance by me. I love Maurizio Cattelan artwork and I really love this installation. It’s very delicious.”
After Datuna ate the banana, the gallery taped another one to the wall.
The banana has become so famous that it even has its own Instagram account. @cattelanbanana has over 8,000 followers and includes hilarious ‘knock offs’ of various duct taped-items. Here are some of our favourites:
