Quick Hit:

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s provocative artwork “Comedian,” a banana duct-taped to a wall, is expected to sell for up to $1.5 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York City. The buyer won’t receive the original banana but rather instructions to recreate the display along with a certificate of authenticity.

Key Details:

• “Comedian,” displayed at Art Basel in 2019, became an instant phenomenon, with two editions sold for $120,000 each.

• Buyers will receive a certificate of authenticity, display instructions, a fresh banana, and duct tape — not the original fruit.

• Cattelan’s work will tour several global Sotheby’s galleries before the November 20 auction.

Diving Deeper:

Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” is returning to the public eye in what could be one of the most anticipated — and unconventional — auctions of the year. Sotheby’s New York has announced that Cattelan’s infamous artwork, consisting of a banana attached to a wall with duct tape, could fetch as much as $1.5 million. Created as a commentary on the contemporary art world, “Comedian” drew crowds and sparked debates on the nature of art when first displayed at Art Basel in Miami in 2019. After initially selling two versions for $120,000 each, this latest edition offers an official certificate of authenticity rather than the physical work itself.

David Galperin of Sotheby’s called the artwork “one of the most talked-about sensations of the art world,” emphasizing that it “continues to capture the zeitgeist.” Buyers won’t receive a permanent installation; instead, they’ll get a fresh banana, a roll of duct tape, and instructions on how to assemble it, underscoring the conceptual nature of the piece. Art critics describe “Comedian” as a work that poses questions on cultural engagement with art, stretching the boundaries of traditional forms.

While on display at Art Basel, the piece attracted enough viewers to risk damaging other works. It even inspired an impromptu performance when artist David Datuna ate the banana as part of his act, “Hungry Artist,” requiring Cattelan to replace the fruit. This event only added to “Comedian’s” allure and media attention, prompting curators to remove it temporarily from the fair.

“Comedian” is set to embark on a global tour at various Sotheby’s locations before it reaches New York on November 20. Auction attendees will have the chance to experience firsthand the work that challenges the meaning of art while reimagining an everyday object as a statement on value and society’s interpretations of art.

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