A much-publicized art piece made up of a single banana taped to a wall has sold for $6.2 million.
Before the auction, Sotheby’s said the unusual art piece was expected to bring in at least $1.5 million.
The art piece had already sold three times for prices between $120,000 and $150,000, The Associated Press reported.
“What you buy when you buy Cattelan’s Comedian is not the banana itself, but a certificate of authenticity,” Galperin said.
That piece sold on Monday for $65.5 million.
One banana taped to a wall has been the subject of a widely reported artwork that sold for $6.02 million.
The sale took place on Wednesday night at the renowned art auction house Sotheby’s in New York City. Justin Sun, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, purchased the piece, Comedian. He is the creator of the cryptocurrency startup Tron and a collector from China. Over the phone, Sun made the winning bid, and the cryptocurrency transaction was finalized.
Sotheby’s stated prior to the auction that the unique artwork was anticipated to fetch at least $12.5 million. However, as soon as the auction started, the price started to rise, and bidders placed bids online, over the phone, and in the auction room.
According to The Associated Press, the artwork had already sold three times for prices ranging from $120,000 to $150,000.
Following the auction, Sun said in a statement that Comedian “is not just an artwork.”. The work “bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community,” he continued. “.”.
When the artwork was displayed in various locations across the globe, Sun claimed he intended to consume the banana, just like at least two spectators did. According to Sotheby’s, the fruit and the duct tape were always intended to be changed frequently.
Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan created the piece. In Miami, Florida, it made its debut at the Art Basel Miami Beach exhibition in 2019. Public debate over what qualifies as art was sparked by the piece very quickly.
Comedians fall under the category of conceptual art. An artwork that prioritizes the idea or meaning behind it over the final product is considered conceptual.
David Galperin is the director of Sotheby’s contemporary art division. He admitted to the AP that he can appreciate the piece’s appeal because it is so thought-provoking. Something is said to be provocative if it is likely to elicit a strong response and a lot of public discussion.
Cattelan is essentially reflecting the modern art world, according to Galperin. He continued by saying he believes Comedian can make people think about what constitutes art and what importance should be placed on it.
“When you purchase Cattelan’s Comedian, you are purchasing a certificate of authenticity rather than the actual banana,” Galperin stated. As an original piece of art created by the artist, he added, that document permits the owner to display the banana and duct tape on their own wall.
Comedian was sold soon after a well-known piece from French painter Claude Monet’s Water Lilies series was up for auction at Sotheby’s. On Monday, that piece brought $65.5 million.
In response to a question about how Cattelan’s straightforward wall art compares to masterpieces like Monet’s, Galperin stated that impressionism was not regarded as a serious art movement at the outset.
Galperin stated that “no significant, profound, and meaningful artwork of the last 100 or 200 years, or our history for that matter, did not cause some sort of discomfort when it was first unveiled.”.
Bryan Lynn is my name.
It was covered by the Associated Press. For VOA Learning English, Bryan Lynn modified the report.
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The text of this narrative.
auction. a public auction where items are offered for sale to the highest bidder.
comedian – n. a performer who makes people laugh in front of an audience by acting funny or by telling jokes or amusing stories.
bid versus v. to offer to buy something for a specific sum of money.
meme—n. a concept, picture, film, etc. That gets around the internet very fast.
duct tape – n. a very durable tape that’s frequently used for repairs and to cover holes.
Mirror – n. Something that reflects light and creates an image of whatever is in front of it is a piece of glass with a shiny, metal-covered back.
authenticity certificate – n. documents that attest to the authenticity of an artwork or other object.
adj. original. an original work of art, like a painting, etc. is not a replica; it is created by the artist.
