Maurizio Cattelan

Okay, so my beginnings with the banana was the opening day of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

Okay, so my beginnings with the banana was the opening day of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

Okay, so my beginnings with the banana was the opening day of Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019.

I did see this banana duct taped to a wall And I saw a little half circle of people I call, you know, little looky-loos just taking pictures of it. And they were not the types to buy the work. They were just having fun and posing and taking selfies with it. And I remember in that moment, like, oh, isn't that cute? But I logged it and then I moved on.

I did see this banana duct taped to a wall And I saw a little half circle of people I call, you know, little looky-loos just taking pictures of it. And they were not the types to buy the work. They were just having fun and posing and taking selfies with it. And I remember in that moment, like, oh, isn't that cute? But I logged it and then I moved on.

I did see this banana duct taped to a wall And I saw a little half circle of people I call, you know, little looky-loos just taking pictures of it. And they were not the types to buy the work. They were just having fun and posing and taking selfies with it. And I remember in that moment, like, oh, isn't that cute? But I logged it and then I moved on.

I didn't. I didn't get my selfie.

I didn't. I didn't get my selfie.

I didn't. I didn't get my selfie.

And we totally missed the point, which is that the entire rest of the art world thinks that the art world is an entire, you know, rigged game and a scam and a joke. And did the emperor like even wear clothes to the fair that day? Because somebody duct taped a banana to a wall and asked $120,000 for it. And that moment probably did need to stop and be reckoned with in real time.

And we totally missed the point, which is that the entire rest of the art world thinks that the art world is an entire, you know, rigged game and a scam and a joke. And did the emperor like even wear clothes to the fair that day? Because somebody duct taped a banana to a wall and asked $120,000 for it. And that moment probably did need to stop and be reckoned with in real time.

And we totally missed the point, which is that the entire rest of the art world thinks that the art world is an entire, you know, rigged game and a scam and a joke. And did the emperor like even wear clothes to the fair that day? Because somebody duct taped a banana to a wall and asked $120,000 for it. And that moment probably did need to stop and be reckoned with in real time.

So over the past five years, the banana has gone on to have an incredibly strange afterlife. Several editions have sold, you know, between $120,000 and $150,000. One has since gotten donated to the Guggenheim, one of the most important museums in New York City. Others have gone on to become basically deified in meme form, and it ultimately culminated in an auction at Sotheby's.

So over the past five years, the banana has gone on to have an incredibly strange afterlife. Several editions have sold, you know, between $120,000 and $150,000. One has since gotten donated to the Guggenheim, one of the most important museums in New York City. Others have gone on to become basically deified in meme form, and it ultimately culminated in an auction at Sotheby's.

So over the past five years, the banana has gone on to have an incredibly strange afterlife. Several editions have sold, you know, between $120,000 and $150,000. One has since gotten donated to the Guggenheim, one of the most important museums in New York City. Others have gone on to become basically deified in meme form, and it ultimately culminated in an auction at Sotheby's.

You want me to peel it back a little bit? Is that what you're asking me to do?

You want me to peel it back a little bit? Is that what you're asking me to do?

You want me to peel it back a little bit? Is that what you're asking me to do?

What does the banana tell us? Is that what you're asking?

What does the banana tell us? Is that what you're asking?