UPDATE 12/08/2019: new york-based performance artist david datuna ate maurizio cattelan’s $120.000 banana at art basel in miami. ‘I love maurizio cattelan’s artwork and I really love this installation, it’s very delicious,’ wrote datuna on his instagram account where he posted the whole performance called hungry artist. meanwhile, galerie perrotin insisted that the piece lives on: ‘he did not destroy the work, the banana is the idea,’ said perrotin’s spokesman lucien terras to the herald.
the gallery reported the incident to security but datuna was not arrested.
back in 1999 in milan, italian artist maurizio cattelan literally attached his gallerist, massimo de carlo, to the wall using duct tape, in a sort of crucifixion way. fast-forward to today, the artist has done it again but this time he did it in miami during art basel miami beach 2019 with a banana. called comedian, the artwork has stirred a controversy among the event attendees and the international press as it has been sold — two times already — for USD$120.000 at galerie perrotin‘s booth.
image © designboom
composed of a real banana attached to the wall with just one piece of duct tape, comedian by maurizio cattelan for galerie perrotin at art basel miami beach 2019 showcases the artist’s characteristic commentaries — it’s a hyper-realistic sculpture satirizing popular culture and offering an ironic commentary on society, power, and authority. following the same line of america, an 18-karat gold toilet by cattelan, this piece offers insight into how we assign worth and what kind of objects we value.
image © designboom
‘the idea of this work came to the artist’s mind a year ago,’ comments galerie perrotin. ‘back then, cattelan was thinking of a sculpture that was shaped like a banana. every time he traveled, he brought a banana with him and hung it in his hotel room to find inspiration. he made several models: first in resin, then in bronze and in painted bronze for finally coming back to the initial idea of a real banana.’
this marks the first time cattelan has shown something in an art fair in 15 years.
image courtesy of gallerie perrotin
project info:
name: comedian
artist: maurizio cattelan
gallery: galerie perrotin
presented at: art basel miami beach 2019
art basel miami beach 2019 (2 articles)
portia munson’s the garden is a room filled with over 1,500 objects at art basel miami
dbinstagram (746 articles)
MAD architects unveils plans for 'wormhole library' on the coast of hainan
tsuchiya kaban crafts luxurious leather bag to carry a watermelon around
graphic design studio thonik presents its first work of architecture in amsterdam
galerie perrotin (14 articles)
daniel arsham investigates classical objects artfully eroded with 'paris, 3020' at perrotin
'we are the baby gang,' playful polar bears that grew feathers to beat climate change
it's the year 3018 in daniel arsham's eroded fantasy future at perrotin new york
maurizio cattelan (20 articles)
opera 'music video' by maurizio cattelan & pierpaolo ferrari is as wild as you'd imagine
the trumps ask to borrow a van gogh. the guggenheim offers a solid gold toilet instead.
maurizio cattelan + pierpaolo ferrari's TOILETPAPER paradise in NY is 'mad men on acid'
miami art week 2019 (27 articles)
peter marino-designed raleigh gardens host immersive les lalanne's sculpture exhibit in miami
sasha bikoff celebrates versace's history in neon-hued installation during art basel miami
alec monopoly spray paints an exotic mclaren 720S during art basel miami beach
art news
daniel arsham discusses the dissolution of architecture + time for friedman benda's 'design in dialogue'
#art
arsham spoke about the temporal narratives of transience, and the notion of making architecture 'do things it is not supposed to do.'
arsham spoke about the temporal narratives of transience, and the notion of making architecture 'do things it is not supposed to do.'
victor solomon celebrates healing through basketball in south LA with his kintsugi court
#art
the artist elevates the spot with gold-dusted opulence while maintaining the roots of the fast-changing neighborhood.
the artist elevates the spot with gold-dusted opulence while maintaining the roots of the fast-changing neighborhood.
christian spencer captures rainbow effect as sunlight passes through hummingbirds' wings
#art
titled winged prism, this series of photographs by christian spencer shows nature’s mastery and perfection.
titled winged prism, this series of photographs by christian spencer shows nature’s mastery and perfection.
tatsuya tanaka creates escapist miniature scenes from face masks and household items
#art
bread beds and brush showers highlight the newfound significance of our domestic environments.
bread beds and brush showers highlight the newfound significance of our domestic environments.
The person who bought it is metaphorically walking naked down the street.
PR stunt
If anyone has another spare banana that they can call Art, that I can buy for 120k to dodge some taxes, please let me know, I will split the money with you.
A crazy world marvels at it’s cultural progress
Mmmmm … well, this should be easy to plagiarise … I’ll just pop out to the shop for a banana … I’ve got lots of duct tape… Voila! Ugh …
Is it just me or is anyone else craving some peanut butter and a glass of milk?… each for $150k a piece, of course…
Utterly disgusting and almost beyond belief. Time Cattelan and his followers walked the street of any large town at night to see the homeless. Thousands of pounds/dollars spent by silly people in a rotten banana. Give the banana to a hungry man and the rest of the money to a Shelter or Food Bank. I am appalled .