When a Banana Becomes Art

On 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