Maurizio Cattelan’s Duck Taped Banana To Be Auctioned At Sotheby’s

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Rarely has an artwork processed the transformative power of aesthetics and shaped cultural narratives like Maurizio Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’. Consisting of a single banana and a piece of silver Duck Tape, the sculpture was the most talked-about artwork at the pre-pandemic Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

‘Comedian’ combines dynamic intellectual rigour with subversive humour. The artwork is more than just a banana taped to a wall; it challenges our notions of value and meaning in art, making it a defining piece for the artist and a landmark piece of contemporary culture.

The artwork was created in an edition of three, plus two artists’ proofs, and sold for $100k each. This is the first time one edition has hit the auction block and will be the focal point of the November Contemporary Evening sale at Sotheby’s New York. It is estimated to fetch between $1m and $1.5m. According to David Galperin, Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art, Americas, the conversation about the work’s value has intensified, inviting dialogue to determine what art means today.

The work’s initial outing attracted record crowds, and its contentious nature led to debates among critics and audiences, resulting in an uproar that necessitated its removal from the exhibition space. The artwork not only made headlines but was consumed—quite literally—on multiple occasions, elevating it to an unparalleled level of notoriety that few other modern artworks can claim.

It will be preceded by a one-day exhibition in New York on 28 October, after which it embarks on a world tour to London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Taipei, Tokyo, and Los Angeles before returning to New York for a final exhibition before the sale, dated for 20 November. This world tour opens Comedian up for viewing and contribution to the ongoing conversation about its value and significance by the world.

The sculpture is steeped in a tradition of challenging the boundaries of what constitutes art. It joins a succession of landmark provocations set off by such groundbreaking works as Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain, Robert Rauschenberg’s Erased de Kooning Drawing, Damien Hirst’s Formaldehyde Shark, and Banksy’s infamous Love is in the Bin, which transformed into a new work of art during its auctioning at Sotheby’s.

These works have contributed to an irreverently playful iconoclasm, challenging viewers to question the very schema that underscores art and its meaning. Speaking with Cattelan on the motivations behind Comedian, “To me, Comedian was not a joke; it was a genuine commentary and a reflection on what we value.” Amidst the hustle and bustle of an art fair.

The banana duct-taped to the wall made the front cover of The New York Post tabloid. It is an excellent example of how far art can infiltrate popular culture. The piece is part of New York’s Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum collection today.

What separates Comedian is its ability to hold a mirror to art in this day and age. Its roots are placed deeply in the Duchampian tradition, which followed the irrelevance of traditional artistry and focused instead on the conceptual implications dictated by the artist. Much as such works as Duchamp took the status of a urinal entirely and absolutely, Cattelan’s artwork tears out the conventional meaning of artistry-slamming home the power of context and presentation over craftsmanship.

Taking a cue from vanguard movements such as Dada, Cattelan insists on the primacy of the idea over the material act of creation. The title Comedian makes for an autobiographical portrait of Cattelan, symbolic of his position as an unconventional troublemaker within the art world.

Cattelan’s practice pits cultural critiques in many media, including sculpture, performance, and curatorial practices. Known for an ironic yet accessible approach, the critical line he treads so delicately balances comedy and critique alike, echoing his masterly ability to provoke thought while entertaining. The artist’s auction record was set in 2016 when He sold for $17.2 million.

Comedian will be sold at Sotheby’s The Now and Contemporary auction on 20 November.

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