Banana Re-Public Project
BACKGROUND
Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall, debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 and quickly became a viral sensation. The artwork, (in an edition of 3) accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, challenged traditional notions of art by emphasizing the concept rather than its physical components. Initially sold for $120,000 per edition, the piece provoked debate about the value and meaning of contemporary art.
In November 2024, Comedian made headlines again when one of the three editions sold at Sotheby’s New York to a crypto billionaire for $6.2 million, far surpassing its $1 million estimate.
The record-breaking sale has reignited discussions on the definition of art, value, and consumerism, solidifying Cattelan’s reputation for challenging the art world with humour and irreverence.
BANANA RE-PUBLIC:
We think $6.2 million is a tad expensive for a banana and a few inches of duct tape.
We'd like a few more people to be able to have their very own everlasting version.
Our Banana Re-Public project is for those of us who aren’t crypto billionaires but still love a slice of art. We've laser-engraved 100 hyper-realistic plastic bananas with the project name and an individual serial number.. Each one comes with a certificate of authenticity with a security feature, discreetly tucked into a slit on the back—because even fake bananas need credentials. These duct-taped treasures are now appearing in the wild. They might be found on buses, trains, in museums, phone boxes, on lamp posts, hiding in art galleries, even in your local greasy spoon if the mood strikes. Find one, peel back its secrets, and keep it forever (or until you need to explain it to a confused houseguest). Who needs Sotheby’s when art is ripe for the taking?
Although - if you fall on hard times they'll probably sell it for you!
IF YOU'VE FOUND ONE
You don't need to do anything, just stick it on your wall as-is or perhaps mount it in a deep frame.
If you'd like to, send us an email quoting your banana number and saying when and where where you found it.
If you have a social media account, take a pic and post it, tagging our account if possible. We'll keep a record in case you ever need to prove its authenticity.
Also, retain your Certificate of Authenticity. You'll notice one end is torn. This is a security feature - we retain the torn-off section for authentication purposes.
If you're not the original 'finder' and want to verify that it's a genuine part of this project, email us at admin(at)openartsurgeon.com and we'll walk you through an authentication procedure.