Banana artwork: What is famous duct-taped art piece that sold for millions?

Comedian is an artwork consisting of a single banana stuck to a wall with duct-tape and has been sold at auction on several occasions as well as having been eaten in brazen displays

A provocative duct-tape banana artwork has sold for millions of dollars at auction - but what is it and why is it famous?

The banana duct-taped to a wall was sold yesterday at Sotheby's in New York for a whopping $6.2million (£4.9million). Maurizio Cattelan's art piece is understood to have been bought by Justin Sun, a Chinese entrepreneur and cryptocurrency mogul.

Following the auction, Justin is reported to have said: "In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience." The banana became one of the most expensive fruits ever, having been bought earlier in the day for just 35 cents (27p).

But what is the viral banana artwork that has been trending online and why was it so sought after?

The banana artwork's name is Comedian and was created by Italian Maurizio in 2019. The conceptual art piece is deliberately provocative and is one of several of Maurizio's creations to have a tongue-in-cheek meaning.

It has sparked controversy with reviewers and writers with Robin Pogrebin questioning if the piece was actually art. Comedian has been displayed all around the world with instructions being given about what to do when the banana eventually rots.

In one bizarre instance, Comedian was removed from an art fair on December 8, 2019, as curators feared it could be damaged by crowds. Following the removal the from the Perrotin gallery, curators said in a statement: "Comedian, with its simple composition, ultimately offered a complex reflection of ourselves.

"We would like to warmly thank all those who participated in this memorable adventure, as well as our colleagues. We sincerely apologize to all the visitors to the fair who today will not be able to participate in Comedian.”

Comedian has been sold several times, with Sarah Andelman, a Colette founder, buying one edition. One edition was donated by Maurizio to the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan with specific instruction about how to display it.

The art piece has also been eaten previously with brazen performance artist David Datuna gobbling it up in from of outraged onlookers. David peeled the duct tape off the wall then proceeded to eat the banana.

Emmanuel Perrotin told CBS News in 2019 that Maurizio's work is about how objects move through the world. He added: "Whether affixed to the wall of an art fair booth or displayed on the cover of the New York Post, his work forces us to question how value is placed on material goods. The spectacle is as much a part of the work as the banana."

Perrotin continued, adding a borrowed replacement banana was then re-attached to the wall. Explaining his artwork, Maurizio previously said: "Wherever I was travelling I had this banana on the wall. I couldn't figure out how to finish it. In the end, one day I woke up and I said 'the banana is supposed to be a banana'."