Maurizio Cattelan’s viral banana artwork has sold again — this time for $6.24 million

Editor’s Note: This article was updated with the final sale price and other details following the auction’s conclusion. 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. Video Ad Feedback See the banana that just sold for $6.2 million 00:51 - Source: CNN “‘Comedian’ is a conceptual artwork, and the actual physical materials are replaced with every installation,” an auction spokesperson said via email at the time. In a press release announcing the sale, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art for the Americas, David Galperin, had described “Comedian” as a “defiant work of pure genius.” “Balancing profound critical thought and subversive wit, this is a defining work for the artist and for our generation,” Galperin said, adding: “If at its core, ‘Comedian’ questions the very notion of the value of art, then putting the work at auction… will be the ultimate realization of its essential conceptual idea — the public will finally have a say in deciding its true value.” While this marked the first time “Comedian” has appeared at auction, the work was recently exhibited at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea. “Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.” Sotheby’s exhibited the artwork in New York, London, Paris, Milan, Hong Kong, Dubai, Taipei, Tokyo and Los Angeles ahead of the sale.