Recently, a banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $120,000 at some fancy art show called Art Basel Miami.
The piece, titled Comedian, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Cattelan appears to be most famous for making a 18-carat toilet titled "America" (how edgy) which was stolen back in September of this year.
You might be questioning the longevity of Cattelan's most recent display of brilliance with the knowledge that most bananas rot pretty fast. Well, let me ease your mind because at the low price of $120,000, not only do you get the banana and a strip of duct-tape, additionally you get a certificate of authenticity which allows owners to replace the banana as needed (new banana not included).
But the story doesn't end there.
While on display the banana was eaten by New York based performance artist David Datuna.
You might think that a spectator eating a $120,000 banana would cause quite a bit of trouble for the gallery, the purchaser and Datuna. But that's only because you don't get how art works. You see, according to the gallery's director of museum relations Lucien Terras, consuming the banana did not diminish the integrity of the work. “He did not destroy the art work. The banana is the idea,” And since it's just an idea, the whole situation was easily fixed as the gallery owner simply had another banana taped to the wall.
The Telegraph: Banana duct-taped to a wall sells for $120,000 at Art Basel
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