The $120,000 banana duct-taped to a wall at Art Basel
This was an artwork featuring a simple banana duct-taped to a wall that was sold for $120,000 at an art fair.
People are actually going bananas because, seriously, how does one buy an overly expensive banana? You buy it, and then what? Eat it? Okay, you eat it, and then what? THEN WHAT????????
I know these questions, and more, are racing through your mind when you see that headline but here's the deal: when people buy this piece, they aren't exactly paying for the duct tape and the banana that will rot within a couple of days. What they're actually purchasing is the certificate of authenticity that comes with this particular artwork.
But it's still crazy, isn't it?
The internet went into an uproar over this and rightfully so. Many people were outraged towards this piece, mostly due to the absurd price tag it carried.
Imagine a banana, stuck to a wall with tape, becoming a piece of art worth $120,000. This story does sound crazy, but it's a real event that happened in the art world.
What's the concept behind this absurd art piece?
The seemingly ordinary banana that became famous was actually part of an artwork titled "Comedian." The creative mind behind this concept is none other than Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. This piece of art was presented at Art Basel Miami Beach, renowned as one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world.
At first glance, "Comedian" seems to be an ordinary banana taped to a wall with a piece of grey duct tape.
It's not a fancy painting or a big sculpture and this would make anyone wonder, "Is this really art?" The answer, as it turns out, is a resounding "Yes!"
Why so expensive though?
What's even crazier is that this banana artwork was sold for a huge sum of $120,000! It's natural to wonder why on earth someone would shell out such a huge sum for a banana attached to a wall with tape. The answer is way beyond the fruit itself. It's about the artist's reputation, the concept behind the artwork, and how rare it is.
The seemingly ordinary banana was purchased for a whopping ₦92,340,000 by an anonymous buyer. Why would someone pay such an exorbitant amount for a banana taped to a wall? Here's what critiques might argue:
Art is an experience
Defenders of "Comedian" and art lovers debate over the question of why someone would pay such an outrageous sum for a banana. They say when people invest in art, they're not just acquiring something to look at. They're buying an art that tells a story. Collectors are drawn to artworks that are unique and special and "Comedian" falls into that category.
Apparently, it's not just about a banana; it's about the conversation it starts and the significance it carries. Art can be anything that makes us think and feel. It can be a banana, a painting, or even just an idea. That's what makes it exciting.
The banana got eaten
This artwork met an unexpected fate when a student at one of South Korea's top universities ate it in May 2023, leading to even more attention to the exhibition.
In a video released by Korean broadcaster KBS, Noh Hyun-soo, an art student at Seoul National University, is seen removing the banana from the wall. Noh peels the banana and then calmly devours it within seconds before reattaching the peel back onto the wall and posing for the camera. It appeared that his friend was recording the entire stunt, according to KBS.
When questioned about his actions, Noh said he did it because he was hungry.
"I found it fun in that defacing a work of art could be seen as a work of art itself. And I don't think I saw anyone else do something like this, so I just went ahead and did it for fun. Don't they put the banana on the wall for eating, anyway?" said Noh to KBS.
Noh faced no legal consequences for his actions anyways. Apparently, he's not the first to eat the artwork duct-taped to the wall. Given that the banana is replaced every few days, his act really did nothing to ruin the artistic concept.
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