A banana glued to the wall will be auctioned for $1 million (4 photos)

The auction organizers will give the lucky buyer a banana, some scotch tape, instructions for installing the installation on the wall, and, of course, a certificate of authenticity for the "masterpiece."





One of the most absurd installations, even by the standards of contemporary art, will be put up for auction. The price for a banana taped to the wall will start at a million dollars. The price, apparently, is also a mockery of art, adequacy, capitalism, and God knows what else. However, ordinary people can only guess or twirl their fingers at their temples.

But if you believe the New York auction of contemporary art Sotheby's, the price of the banana with scotch tape is more than justified. They call the creation of the scandalous artist Maurizio Cattelan a "masterpiece" that "prompted the world to reconsider how we define art and the value we seek in it."



It is noted that the winner of the auction will be given a banana, a roll of duct tape, installation instructions for the installation, and a certificate of authenticity.

According to media reports, Cattelan first presented his installation at the Miami Beach Contemporary Art Fair in 2019. The work with a banana glued to the wall was called "Comedian", and there were three similar works, or rather bananas, at once. And they were offered to connoisseurs of contemporary art for a modest 120 thousand dollars per unit. However, one installation (already sold) was missing, since it was eaten by another artist, David Datuna, who called his performance "Hungry Artist". In general, the guys there have their own atmosphere. After the antics of the hungry artist, people were no longer allowed near the bananas.





Maurizio Cattelan

As the media writes, the installation "Comedian" became known in narrow circles of connoisseurs of contemporary art thanks to discussions and disputes about the nature of art and its value. Cattelan himself added fuel to the fire with his statements that he bought bananas for only 30 cents.

Let's add that the banana was eaten more than once. Thus, in the spring of 2023, at the Leeum Museum in Seoul, a South Korean artist tore a banana off the wall and ate it, explaining his actions by the fact that he was hungry, since he had not had time to have breakfast.



Sotheby's auction house does not disclose the source of the work put up for auction, but assures that its owner acquired "The Comedian" from the collection of one of the first buyers. It is noted that the auction starts on November 20, the organizers hope to sell the banana installation for 1-1.5 million dollars.