Going bananas at Art Basel: Homage to Maurizio Cattelan's 'Comedian'
At Art Basel Miami Beach this year, bananas were the talk of the town — or, more accurately, the art world. The coveted event swag bag was a yellow Chiquita banana bag*, replacing last year’s luxury designer presence. And the surprise? A Chiquita-branded banana stand replaced Louis Vuitton. This playful pivot reflects the lasting impact of Maurizio Cattelan’s 2019 artwork Comedian and its recent sale at Sotheby’s New York for a staggering $6.2 million.
Figure: Chiquita stand at Art Basel Miami Beach 2024, courtesy of Chiquita
The Original Phenomenon
In 2019, Comedian debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach, creating an unparalleled buzz. The piece—a real banana duct-taped to a wall with gray tape—quickly became a pop-culture sensation. Visitors lined up to snap photos of the now-iconic banana, cementing its status as a viral phenomenon.
The two editions of the work sold for $120,000 each, with the final edition fetching $150,000. Its simplicity was part of the allure, as was its underlying message: a satire of the contemporary art market’s absurdity. Through the act of elevating a humble fruit to high art, Cattelan invited viewers to question what defines value in art.
A Record-Breaking Sale
Five years later, Comedian made headlines again when it sold for $6.2 million, including fees, during a Sotheby’s New York auction on November 20, 2023. The winning bid came from Jason Sun, a 34-year-old cryptocurrency billionaire (other 2 losing bids were also from crypto bros). The sale sparked widespread curiosity, with many questioning how the artwork could survive years—after all, bananas are perishable so what does this mean.
The answer lies in what Sun actually purchased: a certificate of authenticity from the artist, along with detailed instructions on how to display the work. While the physical banana and tape can be sourced from any store, the concept and the rights to recreate the artwork belong exclusively to Sun. Per the terms of sale, only one version of the artwork can be displayed at a time.
Figure: Comedian, 2019
The Artist’s Message
Maurizio Cattelan, a 54-year-old Italian artist known for his humorous and provocative works, uses Comedian to critique the speculative nature of the art market. By showcasing an object as mundane and ubiquitous as a banana, Cattelan underscores the disconnect between material value and perceived artistic worth. The auction where Sotheby’s earned over $1 million in commission proved his point once more: the market thrives on inflated resale prices, often leaving the original creator excluded from the financial windfall.
The original buyer of Comedian paid $12,000 in 2019 and earned a profit of nearly $5 million in just five years. This profit margin highlights the speculative frenzy that often defines the secondary art market (meaning that the art is bought from a source other than the artist). Cattelan himself has criticized this system, pointing out how creators are sidelined while collectors and auction houses reap immense benefits.
Figure: Maurizio Cattelan (Renata Fabbri gallery)
The Pop-Culture Legacy
Beyond its monetary value, Comedian remains a cultural touchstone, continuing to provoke debate about the boundaries of art and commerce. The banana’s simplicity belies its complexity, serving as both a humorous jab at and a profound commentary on the contemporary art scene.
This year’s banana-themed buzz at Art Basel—from free Chiquita bags to branded stands—demonstrates the artwork’s enduring influence. Whether it’s a cheeky nod to its viral past or a reflection of its critique of excess, Comedian continues to challenge and captivate the art world and beyond. After years of trying to entice technology millionaires to invest in art, the old school auction houses may finally have a physical product to offer…not entirely physical but conceptual in this case.
* On a side note, art critics were enraged about the association of Art Basel with Chiquita Brands as an act of art washing (marketing tool which uses art to improve the public image of an organisation). Chiquita brands was found liable by a South Florida jury in June 2024 for funding a right-wing paramilitary group that carried out the killing of eight people and was ordered to pay $38.3 million to 16 family members of farmers and other civilians.
Figure: Attendees carrying the IT bag