A banana taped to a wall, part of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s conceptual artwork Comedian, has sold for a staggering $6.2 million at Sotheby’s in New York. The buyer, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun, purchased the piece during a heated auction that has reignited conversations about the boundaries of contemporary art.
The artwork, which debuted at Miami’s Art Basel in 2019, caused a sensation upon its initial unveiling. Crowds flocked to see the piece, prompting its early removal to ensure public safety and protect other exhibits. Despite its simplicity—a single banana attached to a wall with duct tape—Comedian resonated deeply, becoming a symbol of humor, excess, and artistic commentary.
At Wednesday’s auction, the piece exceeded expectations, quickly rising from a starting bid of $800,000 to $5.2 million within minutes, plus additional buyer’s fees. Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron, secured the winning bid over the phone and paid using cryptocurrency. According to reports, maintaining the artwork will require replacing the banana as it rots.
In a statement to Sotheby’s, Sun described the purchase as more than a transaction. “This is not just an artwork. It represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. I believe this piece will inspire thought and discussion and will become a part of history.”
Sun also revealed his intention to eat the banana, a nod to previous instances where spectators consumed the artwork. In 2019, performance artist David Datuna famously ate the banana during its Miami display, calling his act Hungry Artist.
Cattelan, no stranger to bold statements, is known for other provocative works, including a solid gold toilet titled America and a sculpture of the pope struck down by a meteorite. Experts have called Comedian a clever commentary on the art market’s extravagance, likening its impact to Banksy’s Girl with Balloon, which famously shredded itself during a 2018 Sotheby’s auction.
While critics debate whether Comedian is a meaningful artistic statement or a reflection of excess, the piece has undoubtedly solidified its place in art history. As it continues to spark dialogue about the nature of art, Comedian remains a reminder of how unconventional creativity can challenge societal norms and redefine artistic expression.
