By Zehra Nur Celik
A banana duct-taped to a wall, which sparked widespread debate and went viral after selling for $120,000 in 2019, has again captured the art world -- this time fetching $6.24 million.
Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s piece, Comedian, was one of three pieces sold Wednesday at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, exceeding its original estimate of between $1 million to $1.5 million. Bidding began at $800,000 before the record-breaking price.
Describing the artwork as “iconic” and “disruptive,” auctioneer Oliver Barker humorously remarked that selling a banana at auction was something he never expected to say.
The buyer was Justin Sun, a Chinese art collector and cryptocurrency platform founder.
Sun called the work more than just art but a “cultural phenomenon” that unites the realms of art, internet memes and cryptocurrency.
“I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history,” Sun said in a statement.