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Contemporary art raises questions and it is not the auction by Sotheby’s, in New York, on Wednesday, November 20, of one of the three editions of “Comedian” by Maurizio Cattelan that will stop the talk. The work of the Italian artist which represents a banana hanging on a wall has provoked numerous reactions and the estimate of its value is something to talk about.
Here’s the seven-figure amount of the banana stuck to the wall that went viral on social media
Contemporary art attracts a lot of criticism and some of its detractors regret that it is too conceptual and elitist, and far too far from the concerns of the general public. One of the main criticisms is that the works created would be incomprehensible without explanations. The contemporary art market is also criticized because it is seen as a speculative bubble where they are sold at exorbitant prices, sometimes disconnected from their real artistic value. This excessive commodification in the eyes of some is seen as a diversion from the primary vocation of art, namely to awaken the senses and the spirit. Contemporary art nevertheless continues to attract a curious public and spark passionate debates. The auction on November 20 of “Comedian”the work of the Italian Maurizio Cattelanis proof of this. The concept? A banana attached to the wall with adhesive tape, no more, no less.
Exhibited for the first time in December 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, the gallery had acquired one of the three versions of the work for $120,000. The first two editions were purchased for $120,000 each by the French gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin. The work of is now estimated between 1 and 1.5 million dollars and will therefore be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York this Wednesday, November 20, 2024. This edition of “Comedian” will be marked “2 out of 3” et its new owner will receive a certificate of authenticity and the conservation protocol for the work. In fact, the banana must be replaced every seven days to prevent it from rotting. Known for his offbeat works, Maurizio Cattelan likes to mix humor and provocation. To the media The Art Newspaperhe had confided in the past about “Comedian” : “For me, Comedian is not a joke. It is a comment and a reflection on what we give value to. At art fairs, speed and business reign. So I see it like this: if I have to be at a fair, I have to be able to sell a banana like others sell their paintings. I have to be able to play within the system, but with my own rules.”.
A work that arouses interest
During his exhibition for the first time in December 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, Maurizio Catellan’s work was… eaten by the American artist David Datuna. The latter took it down from the wall before devouring it and declaring: “Millions of people are starving. And he puts three bananas on the wall for half a million dollars?”. Then during another exhibition, this time in a museum in Seoul in 2023, it was a Korean student who had the pleasure of eating it. Questioned by the local media, he explained his action as a “rebellion against”. “Damaging a work of art can also be considered a work of art, so I thought it would be interesting… Isn’t it stuck there to be eaten?”he asked. For his part, the Italian artist saw no problem and confided to Guardian that the fact that his work was eaten did not pose a problem for him “No problem” since it was not the banana itself that he sold but a concept.
