Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped banana artwork sells for $6.2 million at Sotheby's auction

At a Sotheby's contemporary art auction in New York, Maurizio Cattelan's controversial artwork Comedian (2019) sold for USD $6.2 million including fees. Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun purchased the piece, which consists of a shop-bought banana affixed to a wall with duct tape. Sun announced plans to personally consume the banana in the coming days as part of what he called a unique artistic experience. The work has previously faced consumption attempts during exhibition runs, including at Art Basel Miami Art Fair where performance artist David Datuna removed and ate it without permission. In May 2023, another incident occurred at a South Korean museum when a visitor also ate the banana. Cattelan's artwork requires replacement every three days during exhibitions. Sun described the work as representing a cultural phenomenon that connects art, memes, and cryptocurrency communities. The sale occurred last night at the auction house's New York event.