The famous New York art company Sotheby’s has sold a controversial piece of art by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan (a banana stuck to a wall with duct tape) at an auction for $62 million.
Artists around the world are debating the creation of this type of art because the artwork was not an oil painting, photography, or unique sculpture, but a fresh banana.
According to foreign media reports, the controversial art by Maurizio Cattelan was bought by a Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur, Justin Sun, in a bid. “It’s not just a work of art, it represents a cultural phenomenon,” said winner Justin Sun. Which connects the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.
The $62 million banana has sent the art world into a frenzy, as the banana, which spoils in a day or two, has now become the world’s most expensive fruit.
However, the 5-minute rush ended when Chinese-born crypto-entrepreneur Justin Sun made the winning bid, outbidding 6 other competitors. Sun, who watched the auction from Hong Kong, commented that Maurizio Cattelan’s work represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, comedy, and the cryptocurrency community.
A journey from fruit cart to auction!
The original banana taped to the Sotheby’s wall Wednesday evening was purchased earlier in the day for 35 cents at a nearby fruit stand on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. A man from Bangladesh who owns the fruit stand said on condition of anonymity that he was not aware that one of his bananas was being sold thousands of times its original price.
Art adviser David Norman said this kind of banter in the art world is troubling, and that Sotheby’s staff should think about what they’re doing instead of pretending and listening to jokes.
