Banana Times
Cattelan’s Comedian and the tragedy of comedy
Weekly Wrap:
Maurizio Cattelan’s banana, or more properly titled “Comedian,” is back in the news at perhaps the correct moment in this bananas timeline. In 2019 the banana duct taped to the wall of the Perrotin gallery’s Art Basel Miami fair booth stirred a world wide pop culture sensation. When I first read about “Comedian” I thought it was both so stupid and also I was so tickled and amused. I still am. Clearly it, or the 2 proofs (one of which Cattelan told Vulture magazine he ate) and 3 editions, are irresistible. The 2019 price tag of $120,000.00 included a banana, a piece of duct tape, 14 pages of instructions on how to install, and a certificate of authenticity. It quickly sold out. The banana consumed the attention of fair goers to the chagrin of the other galleries and had to be taken down before the fair ended due to security concerns due to the mass crowds it was drawing. Satirized, copied, capitalized on—Comedian is the new Mona Lisa and now it’s back.
In a 2021 interview Maurizio Cattelan said “To me, Comedian was not a joke; it was a sincere commentary and a reflection on what we value.” Adding, “At art fairs, speed and business reign, so I saw it like this: if I had to be at a fair, I could sell a banana like others sell their paintings. I could play within the system, but with my rules.”
On November 20th, after taking a world wind, global tour, edition 2 of the work will be auctioned at Sothebys with an estimate of 1 to 1.5 million dollars. In this art market that I continue to read is cratering it will be interesting to see what this certificate of authenticity sells for—I think it’s quite possible it goes for more. So then what is it we value?
Comedian feels like the emperor has no clothes and that might be the very reason (whether one hates it or loves it) that we collectively gawk in amusement. An absurdity, a comedy, and a tragedy because at the end of the day this is worth 50 cents, with Covid inflation maybe I’d by that for a dollar. Perhaps what we value is infamy and sensationalism. Or perhaps what we value is simply the con.
I really enjoyed this video of Curator Francesco Bonami speaking about “The Comedian” and Maurizio Cattelan:
I’ve had a hard time trying to do my own art this week, really the past couple of weeks. It’s been hard to concentrate for some very obvious reason. I’ve been thinking, making, flailing, and maybe finding a path forward. I’m on to watercolor this week and working at making something along the lines of sunrise, sun, sunset or night and day small arts. I’ll likely try to make a little series of both, why not?
Take good care of yourselves and those around you ♥️
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