Kelly Crow
speaker
104 appearances
4 recordings
2 series
first heard Dec 2024
last heard 14 May
Kelly Crow’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
Trend
recordings per month · last 12 monthsRecordings per month over the last 12 months — 2 in all, peaking in May 2026 with 1.
Appearances
Even without a bidder, the auctioneer began raising the price tag, bringing it all the way up to the reserve price, the minimum that the seller would accept.
No one stepped up to buy the most anticipated piece of the week. There wasn't a single bidder. The thing flopped. Sotheby's chief executive said that the auction house stands by the importance of the Giacometti piece. What this bust bust says about the art market, that's next.
What was your reaction in that moment when you realized this thing isn't going to sell?
Luxury markets like the art market can be a powerful economic indicator. In 2008, art collectors were nervous. This flop might be a sign that they're nervous again. A Sotheby's executive made the point that collectors might be concerned about the current political and economic turmoil.
Just a few months ago, it seemed like they were willing, at least for the right piece.
And that seemed to be a good sign for the art market at the time. People were definitely feeling spendy. Was that a red herring?
Maybe the banana was an exception. Or maybe the economic mood really has changed since December.
The whole week wasn't a bust. There were some notable success stories.
Some contemporary pieces did well, too, like artist Marlena Dumas' Miss January, which sold for $13.6 million. It set a new record for a living female artist. So what did these pieces that did sell kind of show us about changing tastes? Are people looking for something different right now?
You retreat to beauty.
What do the sellers of this bus do now?
How long could this bust bust cast a shadow over the art market? Is this something that people are gonna be able to move past quickly or will it linger?
That's all for today, Monday, May 19th. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and The Wall Street Journal. If you like our show, follow us on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. We're out every weekday afternoon. Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.
Can you tell me the story of when you first heard about the banana?
That's our colleague Kelly Crow, who covers the art market. Art Basel Miami is a big high-end art fair that happens every December. Kelly was there walking around, checking out the sculptures and paintings. And then...
So like you didn't you didn't get a selfie with the banana?
Back in 2019, when it first showed up at Art Basel, Kelly and others in the art world were somewhat dismissive of the banana, which was listed for sale at $120,000. It seemed just like another quirky piece of contemporary art. She didn't think it would be that big of a deal.
While Kelly brushed past it, lots of other people stayed and gawked. The banana duct-taped to a wall became a viral sensation. And that was just the beginning.
Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business, and power. I'm Ryan Knudsen. It's Friday, December 6th. coming up on the show, what one banana can tell us about the art market, the power of perception, and maybe even the economy. Okay, so before we dive into the flesh of the banana, can you explain exactly what this piece of art is?
Yes, please. Yeah, just yeah.
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