Real Skills. Daily Prizes.

Build valuable skills in just 10-15 minutes a day.

Earn points and a chance at one $100 gift card daily!

Today's Daily Skillbuilder

arrow
circle outlined
circle outlined
Art & DesignCommunication
Art & Design
Header Logo

When a Banana Becomes Art

Effort: 10 minutesOn November 20, 2024, a banana duct-taped to a wall — yes, a real banana — sold for a jaw-dropping $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction. The artwork, titled “Comedian”, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It first made headlines at Art Basel Miami in 2019 for one simple reason: it made people ask, “Wait… how is that art?” Cattelan said he wanted to challenge how society decides what’s “valuable.” He originally considered using fake bananas made of bronze or resin but decided a real banana sent a stronger message about everyday objects and meaning. The original banana was even eaten by a visitor at the art fair (yes, really), and staff had to replace it with another one. Despite the chaos, three editions of “Comedian” sold for about $120,000 to $150,000 each — and one went to the Guggenheim Museum. Five years later, Chinese-born entrepreneur Justin Sun bought another edition for $6.2 million. The banana itself only cost 35 cents at a New York fruit stand — the real value came from the certificate of authenticity, which gives Sun the right to tape up a new banana anytime and call it “Comedian.” Sun said the piece “bridges the worlds of art, memes, and crypto culture.” Then, in true performance-art fashion, he ate the banana at a press conference, saying, “It’s much better than other bananas.” To top it off, fans raised $19,000 for the fruit vendor whose banana became the most famous fruit in modern art. Your Task: Create your own conceptual art idea that makes people question value, creativity, or meaning. It could be: A photo, video, or digital piece. A physical object with a clever twist. A performance, statement, or meme that blurs the line between art and everyday life. Give it a title and write a short artist statement explaining: What it represents Why it matters What reaction you hope it creates More
Earns:
10 points
Awarded:
(1) $100 e-gift card
circle outlined

With KnoPro, there’s a Skillbuilder for every interest. What’s yours?

From fashion to finance, healthcare to hospitality, and engineering to environmental science, KnoPro has Skillbuilders that’ll keep you sharp and future-ready no matter what industry lights your fire!