Maurizio Cattelan's Banana: An Indestructible, Dematerialized Masterpiece

In a 2020 article on Artribune, Pino Boresta argues that Maurizio Cattelan's banana taped to a wall, sold in three editions for $120,000 each at Perrotin's booth at Art Basel Miami Beach, represents a groundbreaking evolution in conceptual art. Boresta claims the work surpasses Marcel Duchamp and Piero Manzoni by creating a truly dematerialized, indestructible artwork that exists only as an idea, reproducible anywhere. He notes that Cattelan avoids the problem of forgeries and theft, as the work's value lies solely in the certificate of authenticity. The banana, being biodegradable, cannot be preserved as a fetish, unlike Manzoni's "Artist's Breath" which decayed into rubber remnants. Boresta compares it to Gino De Dominicis's "Invisible Cube" and Tino Sehgal's dematerialized practice, asserting that Cattelan's banana is both edible and immune to vandalism, as demonstrated when another artist ate it. The article also discusses Duchamp's 1964 edition of 14 ready-mades, authenticated by Arturo Schwarz, and Manzoni's failed attempt at dematerialization. Boresta concludes that Cattelan's work advances contemporary art, blending comedy, philosophy, theology, and science fiction, and questions whether the banana is the true fruit of original sin.