The Sidewalk Fruit Vendor Who Sold a $6.2 Million Banana for 25 Cents
The Unlikely Journey of a Banana from Fruit Stand to Absurdist Art #
At a fruit stand on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a banana, sold for 35 cents, underwent an extraordinary transformation. Outside Sotheby’s auction house, where art often fetches millions, a banana sold by a vendor became a piece of absurdist art, purchased for $5.2 million with over $1 million in additional fees.
The banana was duct-taped to a wall as part of a work by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, sold to cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun. Initially exhibited in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach, the conceptual artwork titled “Comedian” included editions sold for between $120,000 and $150,000. The installation sparked widespread debate about the nature and valuation of art.
By the following auction, bidding for Lot No. 10—featuring the banana taped to a wall—began at $800,000. In a swift escalation, the final price exceeded $5 million within minutes. Although Cattelan was not compensated for this specific sale, he expressed amazement at the price, viewing the unfolding event as a continuation of the artwork’s original commentary on the absurdity of art valuation.
“I feel fantastic. The auction has turned what began as a statement in Basel into an even more absurd global spectacle,” remarked the artist. The art piece’s new owner, Justin Sun, publicly expressed pride in his acquisition, stating he plans to eat the banana, believing it will inspire future discussion.
The banana’s original vendor, a Bangladeshi immigrant working a 12-hour shift at his fruit stand, remains anonymous in the artwork’s newly written history. Surprised and emotional when learning of the banana’s fate, he reflected on the profits generated and who ultimately benefitted.
The vendor continues his daily routine in a New York City corner, selling fruit priced affordably: four bananas for a dollar. For those who bought the piece, “Do they not know what a banana is?” he wonders. Despite the impressive sale, his circumstances remain unchanged, serving fruit alongside his dreams and struggles.