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It’s One Banana, Michael. What Could It Cost? Six Million Dollars?

Portrait of Jason P. Frank

By Jason P. Frank, a Vulture writer covering comedy, theater, and music

Banana. Photo: John Nacion/Getty Images

Well, now you’re cursed with overhearing someone in a museum say “My 6-year-old son could make that” when looking at modern art for 20 more years. A crypto bro bought a banana taped on a wall for $6.2 million, per the New York Times. The 2019 artwork is titled Comedian and was ~~sculpted~~ ~~created~~ made by Maurizio Cattelan. It was sold as part of Sotheby’s contemporary-art auction on November 20. Bidding began at $800,000. A Hong Kong–based crypto bro, Justin Sun, beat out six others to buy the artwork.

But what does he actually … get? Technically, Sun purchased a certificate of authenticity stating that he can duct-tape a banana to a wall and then refer to it as Comedian, per NPR. Despite the artwork coming with replacement instructions for whenever the banana rots, Sun plans to eat it, telling the Times, “In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.” Three previous versions of the artwork sold at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 for between $120,000 and $150,000. Guess the price of groceries really has gone up.

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It’s One Banana, Michael. What Could It Cost? $6.2 Million?

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