Social media viral banana taped to wall art sold for $6.24 million at art auction in New York.
According to CNN, the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s viral creation, named “Comedian,” one of the three copies, exceeded expectations on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at a Sotheby’s auction in New York after one of the collectors bought it for $6.24 million.
The first bid for the auction began with $800,000, and it was expected that the artwork would be sold for between $1 million and $1.5 million.
Moreover, shortly after the auction, Sotheby’s revealed that a Chinese collector and founder of a cryptocurrency platform, Justin Sun, has acquired that “iconic” and “disruptive” artwork.
Sun stated in a press release, “This is not just an artwork. It represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history.”
He will get a roll of duct tape and one banana along with a certificate of authenticity and instructions for installing the “Comedian.”
“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,” he further added in the release.
Furthermore, Sotheby’s confirmed to CNN via email that both the banana and the tape are not real.
