This fall, one of the most talked-about works of contemporary art, Maurizio Cattelan's " Comedian (2019) " — a banana taped to a wall — returns to the public eye in a historic auction at Sotheby's New York, where it is expected to sell for between $1 million and $1.5 million. The work, which has become a symbol of defiance and absurdity in art, will embark on a global tour, stopping in cities including Paris, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, before going on display in New York on November 20.
Since its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019, " Comedian (2019) " has sparked controversy and redefined discussions about the value of art. With a radical simplicity — a banana attached to a wall — Cattelan defies art market norms and plays with the idea of ephemeral value. In addition, each purchase comes with instructions to regularly replace the banana, emphasizing the work's transience and profound irony. "If " Comedian (2019) " questions the notion of value in art, then the auction is the ultimate realization of this conceptual idea — the public will ultimately decide its true value," says David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby's.
Artes Magazine invites you to reflect on this provocative work and the fundamental question it raises: What does "value" really mean in art?
