Duct-taped banana art back at auction, now valued up to $1.5 million

Maurizio Cattelan’s provocative artwork Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall, is set to return to auction, with Sotheby’s projecting bids between $1 million and $1.5 million.

First unveiled at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 with a $120,000 price tag, Comedian sparked widespread social media debate and divided critics with its unconventional concept and high value.

For the winning bid, the buyer will receive a roll of duct tape, a fresh banana, a certificate of authenticity, and official installation instructions.

Sotheby’s has confirmed that neither the banana nor the tape is the original from 2019, as each iteration is replaced with new materials.

As per Maurizio Cattelan’s instructions. “Comedian is a conceptual artwork, and the actual physical materials are replaced with every installation,” a spokesperson for the auction house told CNN.

Created with a banana bought from a Miami grocery store, Comedian quickly attracted global attention, drawing large crowds and sparking heated debate.

Some critics viewed it as a nod to the legacy of conceptual artists like Marcel Duchamp, whose iconic mounted urinal challenged traditional notions of art.

Sotheby’s expects the piece to inspire similar interest as it goes back up for auction, offering collectors an opportunity to own a contemporary icon that questions the nature of art itself.