Would You Spend R1.7 Million On This Duct-Taped Banana?
As many will know, Art Basel is in full swing right now in Miami. And things are definitely getting weird and arty that side.
One such story is Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. The 59-year old artist has been exhibiting his work at Art Basel, which consists of a Banana duck-taped to a white wall. While that’s strange and interesting as it is, what's more interesting is the price tag. A cool $120,000 (just shy of R1.8 Million) will let you take this Banana and Duct-Taped combo home. The piece, titled Comedian, also bears a cheeky resemblance to Andy Warhol’s iconic 1967 pop art fruit.
But are people actually paying that much? Well, yes - two did actually. The work’s first edition apparently came from a local Miami supermarket and sold to a Frenchman for $120,000 USD by Perrotin, an international art gallery. A second edition also sold to another Frenchman for the same price, while there are rumours that the third edition of the art will reportedly sell for an even higher price at $150,000 USD (R2.2 Million)
Comedian is currently on display at the Galerie Perrotin pop-up in Miami Beach, Florida. Gallery owner Emmanuel Perrotin called the phenomenon a “miracle,” adding “I don’t know how this happened!” Perrotin went on to say the banana is “a double entendre, as well as a classic device for humour,” adding that they’re both vehicles of “critique and delight.” This is not the first time Maurizio Cattelan has pulled a stunt like this either. Earlier this year the artist sold a 24-karat toilet that was valued at a whopping R88 Million.