Duct-Taped Banana Sells for $6.2 Million at Sotheby’s Auction, and Buyer Plans to Eat It

Italian visual artist Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped Banana, entitled "Comedian," is on display during a media preview at Sotheby's in New York, on Nov. 8, 2024. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

A cryptocurrency entrepreneur made a whopping $6.2 million dollar purchase on a piece of artwork featuring a single ripe banana duct-taped to a wall.

The artwork dubbed “Comedian,” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, sold at auction at Sotheby’s in New York Nov. 20 to Justin Sun, who outbid six others in the “hotly contested” sale.

Sun expressed his excitement for acquiring the piece of art, which first debuted at Miami’s Art Basel back in 2019, with the exhibit becoming a viral internet sensation drawing immense crowds.

“This is not just an artwork; it represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community,” wrote Sun on social media.

“I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history. I am honored to be the proud owner of the banana and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art enthusiasts around the world,” he added.

It is the buyers responsibility to replace the banana as it rots, with duct-tape and installation instructions included in the purchase, but Sun already has plans in mind for his newfound art piece.

“Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture. Stay tuned!” he said.

Three editions of “Comedian” were already created and sold, with at least two spectators in the past consuming the banana in other galleries around the globe.

Shortly after its first sale priced at $120,000 dollars in 2019, performance artist David Datuna from Georgia, pulled the banana off the wall and ate it in front of a crowd, in an act he called “Hungry Artist.”

As a result, questions have circulated in regard to how the value of the artwork is derived, but David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby’s, told The Associated Press it stems from the certificate accompanying the purchase.

“What you buy when you buy Cattelan’s ‘Comedian’ is not the banana itself, but a certificate of authenticity that grants the owner the permission and authority to reproduce this banana and duct tape on their wall as an original artwork by Maurizio Cattelan,” Galperin said.