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AIBU?

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Original poster

Have people gone mad?

43 replies

username358 · 21/11/2024 05:19

Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," a conceptual artwork comprising a banana stuck to a wall with duct tape, sold on Wednesday for $6.24 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York.

When a banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $120,000 in 2019, social media uproar and an age-old debate about the meaning of art ensued.

But artist Maurizio Cattelan’s viral creation, titled “Comedian,” has proven a sound investment for one collector: One of the artwork’s three “editions” smashed estimates to sell for $6.24 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York on Wednesday.
https://www.cnn.com/style/duct-taped-banana-maurizio-cattelan-auction-hnk-intl/index.html

AIBU to think the world's gone mad? Someone has paid 6m to keep sticking a banana on a wall with duct tape.

Duct-taped banana work selling for $120,000 at Art Basel Miami | CNN

Duct-taped bananas went on sale at Art Basel Miami Beach this week – priced at $120,000 each.

https://www.cnn.com/style/article/art-basel-miami-maurizio-cattelan-banana-scli-intl/index.html

OP posts:
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 21/11/2024 08:59

You should see my 'Grapes of Wrath'.

I first stamp on them and then, using my malfunctioning sellotape dispenser, stick them, in a screwed up bunch, to any to any object that I didn't intend to.

(Photo to follow when I have calmed down a little.)

Ihopeithinkiknow · 21/11/2024 08:53

Haha it's like triggers broom all over again if they keep replacing the banana

WinterCrow · 21/11/2024 08:50

Imagine training for years to be an art curator and then being landed with banana-changing duties.

teaandtoastwithmarmite · 21/11/2024 08:46

110APiccadilly · 21/11/2024 06:27

Wouldn't the banana be rotting and manky by now?

I’ve read it has instructions included on how to replace it. The person who has bought it is planning to eat it and apparently it’s already been eaten twice and replaced.
Duct-taped banana artwork sells for $6.2m in NYC www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy87202v43no

shellyleppard · 21/11/2024 08:43

As my late mum used to say..... they've got more money than sense.

betterangels · 21/11/2024 08:43

Stupid people with money.

CoffeeCantata · 21/11/2024 08:42

This reminds me of when I took my 9 year-old son to the RA Summer Exhibition. There were a number of frames with a black bin bag stretched across them, which had been torn slightly n a number of places.

I am too polite/cowardly to express an opinion audibly, but he saw that the emperor had no clothes on, and kept on loudly rubbishing these works. He had a point!

OK, yes - it's art. But is it good art? Only time will tell, and I'd bet time will give it the thumbs down!!

As long as public money isn't being spent on this kind of thing, let them crack on.

AChickenPooAndABiscuit · 21/11/2024 06:49

Thunderpants88 · 21/11/2024 06:00

I would make that for a cool £5er if anyone wants

I'm up for it! But would you want a slice of the proceeds (or the banana) if it sold for $6.24 million in a few years time...? WinkGrin

Beezknees · 21/11/2024 06:29

I'll make something like that and sell it to a rich person if it'll net me £6 million!

110APiccadilly · 21/11/2024 06:27

Wouldn't the banana be rotting and manky by now?

Headingtowardsdivorce · 21/11/2024 06:25

Seashellssanctuary · 21/11/2024 06:22

Maybe those same people are also doing a lot more about children dying than you are?

Show quote history

Maybe they are, but they can obviously do a lot more but they'd rather buy a banana duct taped to a wall.

User37482 · 21/11/2024 06:24

It’s a status thing I think, being able to buy something so frivolous for such an extraordinary amount of money and feel like you are supporting “art”.

If people want random shite stuck to walls my DD’s bedroom should be worth billions.

Seashellssanctuary · 21/11/2024 06:22

Headingtowardsdivorce · 21/11/2024 06:13

People like that disgust me. There are children dying right now through the lack of clean water. Showing off how rich you are by buying crap art, ugh.

Show quote history

Maybe those same people are also doing a lot more about children dying than you are?

PoupeeGonflable · 21/11/2024 06:18

Further proof that money does not buy taste or class

Headingtowardsdivorce · 21/11/2024 06:13

parietal · 21/11/2024 05:59

People who buy art like that just want to show off that they have enough money to buy art like that. And if they want to waste their money by showing off, it seems like a fairly harmless way to do so. Less bad than spending it on tourism to space or extreme political donations.

People like that disgust me. There are children dying right now through the lack of clean water. Showing off how rich you are by buying crap art, ugh.

iloveeverykindofcat · 21/11/2024 06:13

Money laundering?

Thunderpants88 · 21/11/2024 06:00

I would make that for a cool £5er if anyone wants

parietal · 21/11/2024 05:59

People who buy art like that just want to show off that they have enough money to buy art like that. And if they want to waste their money by showing off, it seems like a fairly harmless way to do so. Less bad than spending it on tourism to space or extreme political donations.