CHENNAI: Making it to the headlines requires certain unwritten qualifications. It must grip the collective attention of the nation, the achievement of which is no mean task. Even wars have become commonplace, often finding themselves relegated to sections assigned for topics that have lost their news worthiness in a world so weary of conflicts.
Once in a while, a politician kicks up a storm with an incongruous statement and instantly gallops his way to the breaking news of the day. This is a country that loves its share of drama afterall. The dust settles though, as quickly as the next drama unfolds.
Then there are those shocking indictments, groundbreaking legislations and national catastrophes that jostle for front page space every day and truly deserve our scrutiny and reflection.
Yet, who would have ever imagined that a humble yellow banana could waltz into this premium slot and have the last laugh? And no, it wasn’t the conceited lychees, figs or kiwifruits that made it, but the modest plantain that sells on carts at every street corner, beckoning us all with its affordability.
But this was no ordinary banana — it became the world’s most expensive one, after it was sold at an art auction for `523,661,008 last week! After you regain your composure and gather up your dropped jaws, do read on to know the full story.
This is how the simple fruit made its journey to the hallowed halls of fame. The yellow banana first made its debut in 2019 at the Art Basel Miami Beach Fair, one of the premier art shows in the US. Titled ‘Comedian’, it quietly stood duct-taped onto a white wall by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and promptly became a huge sensation.
Another artist ate it during the course of the show and a replacement had to be brought in. Crowds thronged to view it and the situation became so unmanageable that it had to be taken down eventually. And now, five years later, it resurfaced at an art auction at Sotheby’s and walked into the limelight seamlessly.
So, did the buyer take home a rotten fruit from years ago for all those million dollars? Not at all. The banana was meant to be replaced regularly and the sale included a certificate of authenticity that granted the owner the permission to reproduce the banana, duct-taped to a wall, as an original artwork by the artist.
What was the artist even thinking when he indulged in this audacity, you may wonder. Cattelan is known for his provocative artworks.
As blatantly absurd as the work may seem, the banana is one of the best metaphors for global trade and the exploitation that followed. It also urges us to think about how contexts often change the value of things and how we perceive them.
The ‘Comedian’ was auctioned along with Monet’s classic ‘Water Lilies’ and although the comparison may seem laughable now, the latter was not considered seriously too, when it was created. History is proof that any profound work of art has always aroused a sense of discomfort when first unveiled. It may take a few years perhaps, to truly go bananas over this one!