The $150,000 Banana

Artist Maurizio Cattelan duct taped a banana to a wall, titled it "Comedian", and sold 5 editions of the artwork for as much as $150,000 each. Why did it capture our attention, curiosity, and memes? What does it mean? And download the PBS Video App today!: www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/
#banana #comedian #art
Thanks to our Grandmasters of the Arts Tyler Calvert-Thompson, David Golden, and Ernest Wolfe, and all of our patrons, especially Rich Clarey, Iain Eudaily, Frame Monster Design Laboratory, Patrick Hanna, Nichole Hicks, Andrew Huynh, Eve Leonard, David Moore, Gabriel Civita Ramirez, Constance Urist, Nicholas Xu, and Roberta Zaphiriou. To support our channel, visit: / artassignment .
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[@snoopsq.527]

It’s called “Comedian” cuz the joke is on us.

[@tedcruzforgayrights2045]

I think “us” is everybody but him

[@unobooks]

you are a genius, captain obvious

[@tedcruzforgayrights2045]

Arcqueline I can’t afford any of that and I enjoyed my chuckle at the knowledge of this silly thing existing Laugh or don’t laugh It don’t matter What is and isn’t art? Who gets to say what art is? Even if there’s a solid declaration of what art is, we all like different art so what’s it all even matter anyway? It don’t matter to me this guy made a good buck off of a good goof.

[@tedcruzforgayrights2045]

Arcqueline ooops I can afford food and kinda afford healthcare I meant all the other stuff But man I really think you’re thinking too hard about this We can definitely deal with all the issues that you’ve brought up, which are serious issues, without wasting our energy criticizing some rich quirky art folk They’re not the ones creating laws and running peoples lives

[@tedcruzforgayrights2045]

Arcqueline Thanks for arguing with me on the web without calling me mean words It’s always a pleasure

[@matthewbaker7513]

Everyone's talking about the banana, but what about the duct tape? It's holding the entire piece together. #teamtape

[@vickyneville4456]

Now if he woulda ate the duct tape. That woulda been something

[@pureconfuzion]

#teamwhitebackgroundiguess

[@Drstrange3000]

Lol

[@JaQuiManitas]

Exactly!! Duct tape is a utilitarian tool and that serves an actual function/purpose. It’s a direct opposition to the value of art.

[@matthewbaker7513]

@@JaQuiManitas Imagine if it was a statement as to the endless reliability of drywall

[@lpswitch7465]

"You're not paying $150k just for a banana duct taped to a wall, you're paying $150k for a CERTIFIED banana duct taped to a wall." Huh, kinda reminds me of my college degree.

[@stevenbodnar4559]

the fact you didnt learn anything in college is probably more a disservice to yourself than the fact having attended when you were not qualified to retain the value offered by the institutions extracurriculars and also clearly reveals you did not take advantage of the resources at your disposal.

[@sschmidtevalue]

@@stevenbodnar4559 I see that you learned to be pompous and sanctimonious at your college.

[@mouchettte]

@@stevenbodnar4559 not you reading so much into a joke

[@beke2672]

Steven Bodnar *NEEERD*

[@blu-phinix0092]

Why both of them are Steven

[@fish4973]

Them: He chose banana because history and symbolism Artist: I had a banana in my apartment

[@fiskedunser6314]

He really said that? Sorce link?

[@im8081]

I don’t think he ever did, it’s a joke

[@ASpooneyBard]

"Have you tried taping an apple to a wall? It's round... and the wall is flat..."

[@peterfrank3365]

According to Wikipedia, he said "the banana is supposed to represent a banana".

[@BourdeoixEterno]

What history? Loma

[@LeoStaley]

"He'd have to eat the certificate of authenticity, which is actually a performance I'd like to see" this made me laugh so hard, and I'm not sure why.

[@kaki6223]

Leo Staley I was so close to pass out

[@mafurock33]

Yeah, this was both hilarious and spot on. I totally agree.

[@Haldered]

people have actually done this. tbh it just reeks of flaunting power. yes, someone could destroy it as an act of protest. or they could auction it to a bunch of rich people and use the money for something useful. there have also been anti-capitalist art movements who stage events for burning money, but i think this misses the point of capitalism. true power is not the possession of cash but in the confidence of wealth.

[@KannikCat]

Heheh, same here. I'm sure it's been done, but still be amusing to watch. :)

[@VeryPrivateGallery]

Haha YES ME TOO

[@modlio745]

Long story short: it's a shitpost

[@smaakjeks]

Also: tax the rich!

[@_KingOfCalifornia]

Shit posting is art

[@neonsword4762]

Artistic shit post

[@derschmiddie]

@@neonsword4762 It's actually tax-evasion for rich people. Buy Certifiate for 150.000$, Keep it, have Cristie's or someone alike say it's worth 20.000.000$ - Donate it Tax-Deductable to a museum. Pay 19.850.000$ less taxes since you made a loss donating it.

[@beanedcans5853]

Yeah a really expensive one

[@cnihon5894]

This is probably the best explanation of NFTs that's not about NFTs.

[@PassportGods]

Exactly what I thought!

[@ImAFunGuy]

At first I was going to comment aggressively toward you assuming you were taking a jab at NFT’s and assuming you were ignorant to the subject and potential behind them, but I decided to just watched the video and wait and you were 100% correct 😭😂

[@purplewine7362]

@@ImAFunGuy cool. nfts are still mostly a scam though

[@ImAFunGuy]

@@purplewine7362 Explain

[@matt.rraw.]

damn

[@thsvobblitz524]

1930: We will have flying cars 2020: Banana on wall is worth the same as a car

[@AndrewLaMonica1]

150k can get you a really nice car the averge house in America is 200k so you can probably get a small house

[@kidzfromthebloc]

Yup that banana is "worth" as much as my apartment

[@jasonlee6227]

Or worth more than some cars. There's a lot of cars under a 100,000 USD. Also a lot of bananas are worth less than that too. lol

[@thsvobblitz524]

@@RottenSkull Very Very Very VERY disappointed in humanity

[@sopita2236]

Why would you want a flying car??? What would be the point of that

[@barrycohen311]

"Art is anything you can get away with" - Andy Warhol

[@larryphillipsjr.1607]

😂

[@memoluna7]

No it's not

[@hithere4289]

@@memoluna7 yes it is like that showroom at stockholm in which art experts described the painting technique as soft as a ballet dancer and the painter turned out to be an ape. I mean honestly you can get away with anything if you find the right words to justify it

[@memoluna7]

So you need words to describe and action of movement. Then my walk is form of art too. People need to stop mixing action and artifacts with calling it art. It need to be a more sustainable skill in which it could not be replaced so easily... it's like if some one makes a peanut and jelly sandwich and called themself a chef. Are they really?

[@hithere4289]

@@memoluna7 totally agree with you. I guess its just that standards are too low nowadays because people are SO stupid its so funny

[@seasong7655]

Love the sneaky banana in the background 🤭

[@kiddtekno4382]

Wow I can't believe I missed it the whole time 😂😅

[@kaf890890]

seasong It’s an Easter egg!

[@reynoldsad7]

... it's banana cameo 😅

[@KannikCat]

Likewise! :D

[@snoopynwoodstock99]

+

[@petergriffin8535]

I was at the art festival and I was lucky enough to see the man actually eat the banana

[@sopita2236]

🤯

[@sujianil8937]

I will not destroy the nice

[@78anurag]

You're a certified legend

[@vandyke4775]

But did you get his autograph?

[@samuelsgaming1407]

No way peter Griffin from family guy

[@melissavanniekerk5687]

This was like that meme: Teacher: the curtains are red to reflect his anger and rage Writer: no, it’s just a red curtain bc I wanted to

[@halusinjackbow8043]

Subconscious translation of emotion to depiction?

[@theresalwaysanotherway3996]

If the enjoyment of a book is subjective, then so is the quality and value of it. If that is true then it means that the writer's interpretation of said book is in fact equally as valid as yours, which is equally as valid as anothers (as long as it can be backed up by text in the book). Therefor to say that the writer's word is final on their piece because they are the author is to suggest that the book has an objective interpretation, greatly limiting the freedom art gives to the observer, and thereby limiting its enjoyment.

[@raghumalhotra7799]

Nice one

[@ThePooper3000]

Either way, if the red curtains are red simply because they're red, then why did the writer have to even mention it at all? Why waste the reader's time by calling attention to the curtain's colors?

[@veryviper9209]

@@ThePooper3000 They were trying to get to the minimum word count lol

[@perfumaphilia3246]

This piece insults the human race in the most brilliant way.

[@OHYS]

This comment has only 6 likes. Underrated

[@user-ur2wd8du4z]

BINGO!

[@samidaliphoto]

Perfumaphilia only men. Not human race.

[@Emanresuadeen]

Buying garbage art like this is the equivalent of lighting cigars with thousand dollar bills.

[@samidaliphoto]

Emanresuadeen right

[@natkuhn8316]

and there are people with real talent without a job

[@NA-oc7eq]

Depends, everything is art tho, and she greatly puts it here, sometimes it's more about the thought put into it and not the craft. The art itself is all about making people immersed yet outraged.

[@NA-oc7eq]

@Victorius Hugustus idk, tho im a traditional artist myself, i can't judge, for everyone has their own approach on art. I have my style too

[@NA-oc7eq]

@Victorius Hugustus i mean if we only base art on technical skill and realism, how about van gogh? He still offers great visuals on art, also with the blank paintings? That's minimalism, opposite of maximalism. Sometimes it's more about the thought being put in art rather than the effort.

[@qonitamajid8883]

Just say that you want the money dude 😭 I FEELS LIKE SHIT

[@DandillionJeff]

I'm one of them. Trying to survive the pandemic

[@emmasnyder9718]

0:46 : When you forgot about the presentation and the teacher says it's your turn.

[@johannestonnies7898]

top kek

[@nikhilomkar]

Tadaa!!

[@minty_1806]

*_gud greds_*

[@sopita2236]

You can’t do that, he can

[@FujiAppul]

PFFFFFTT-

[@frickinshawty3145]

Me: *puts* *book* *on* *book* I’ll be waiting for my 109.3M dollars

[@frickinshawty3145]

And also it’s an almanac so 273.9M

[@sopita2236]

So that’s not gonna work

[@charlie6519]

@@sopita2236 So a banana on a wall won’t work.

[@SonGoku-zr9nc]

I took a dum,p on a canvas. Now give me my $15M

[@marquaviouschester6947]

@@SonGoku-zr9nc wrong. I launched some diarrhea on a canvas. Give me 200mil

[@berkcelme1401]

"the art we deserve" - fair

[@Eutrofication]

That bit of the video really got to me.

[@josepheldredge7313]

@@Eutrofication Same... says a lot about who we are today

[@BilliePosters]

bit harsh I thought

[@stephenrichey8487]

It would be nice if we deserved the art of Michelangelo and Rembrandt again.

[@PrometheusMonk]

Yep. This is why the most inane vacuous garbage (cough Warhol cough) such as this always has the greatest popularity among the uncultured masses.

[@iD-du1iu]

I still remember when money laundering was difficult.

[@jck7986]

my thought exactly

[@lvkashy]

😂😂😂

[@mrjoe332]

It was never hard if you know the right people

[@ruhakana]

Mr Joe ooo your hard

[@slappy8941]

Yeah, this guy's an artist all right...

[@StephanieOplinger]

"It might not be the art we want, but I fear that it might be the art we deserve." At first, I thought this was going to be a video in defense of it, and I was ready to get heated. But I really appreciate the well thought out discourse about it.

[@halusinjackbow8043]

Agreed. The art piece is like looking in a mirror, pointing back to today’s world of art and the state of society. It’s unfortunate.

[@jomsky8611]

It is art then,isn't it?

[@mrtraa2639]

@@jomsky8611 sarcasm

[@_SUPERN0VA_]

It's a fucking banana, there's no meaning on it

[@sahilagarwal6601]

@@halusinjackbow8043 how do u call that art? it took no effort? even in today's society people make efforts

[@ProximaCentauri88]

I have a theory that this "artist" stole this taped banana idea from a person in the 3rd world who taped fruits like an apple on a laptop to joke about having an "Apple" computer.

[@im8081]

Seems far-fetched, very unlikely. got any proof?

[@nandozu]

Lmao that one meme

[@plant5875]

how rude of cattelan to make fun of poor people having apple computers

[@sopita2236]

Wtf are you talking about

[@chandraprabhasolanki1349]

So what is he joking about? a banana wall?

[@melskunk]

Art is memes and has been for a while, and I'm glad to see that noticed.

[@rainespiano]

I had no idea about this...

[@kassemir]

It is. But, people don't make a lot of money on internet memes posted to Facebook. I see it more as the emperor's new clothes. They're buying nothing, and no one in their inner ciricle is willing to point the finger at the naked king strolling down the street in what he thinks are the finest silks known to man.

[@alanmassey1138]

And memes are art.

[@tuonglinhtranha200]

The artwork itself laughs at those who purchased it. It's hysterical in every way

[@zvxcvxcz]

It's a bit sad that they still don't get it though. They think the value is then magically held in the certificate they bought, but the point is that the certificate really doesn't mean much and they're the idiots willing to spend tons of money on it... plus a lifetime of bananas and duct tape.

[@lazyllama8649]

No, its just shit man

[@segante]

The fact that you are commenting on these video and that many other (humans or bots) liked your comment means the artpiece has achieved its purpose!

[@Knight30884]

I did literally this as an art class proyect and my profesor gave me an F and told me I was disgracing art, now I see this and can claim that I was actually a visionary.

[@halusinjackbow8043]

I mean, it received fame and attention and sold at a ridiculous value. But that doesn’t mean that it didn’t disgrace art...

[@TomorrowisYesterday]

You are both disgracing art.

[@macyfisher5209]

Imagine being that one museum worker whose job consists of replacing the banana taped to the wall every day.

[@larsthorsen4660]

There's nothing the Art world loves more than art lambasting the art world.

[@galaxy7nails613]

You nailed it

[@colton6457]

@@galaxy7nails613 No it was secured with tape.

[@AudraAuclair]

Seeing his other work makes me less frustrated. I'm glad I watched this.

[@someanimal3506]

Yeah me too. I do really dislike modern art, but only the stuff that is basically trash: canvas painted white, or a single splatter or everything solid colors with nothing there. It pisses me off.

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

His other work is bullshit as well. The struck down pope did make me chuckle though.

[@sopita2236]

@@someanimal3506 the point of minimalist art is that it’s simple. It is what it is. You’re reaction is completely valid because it wasn’t supposed to make you feel anything, it just is.

[@MOJSTER99]

@@someanimal3506 you should read a thing or two about art history then

[@hoc1992]

yeah me too, but I'm still pretty frustrated

[@ElectricGun100]

This is literally the real life form of an NFT

[@madelinemorphy1101]

"It's not the art we want , but it's the art we deserve" how is that for the depressive state of the art today.

[@faithkerns1626]

We should perform “hungry artist” on the rich.

[@mslightbulb]

Faith Kerns eat the landlords?

[@tarunmittalphoto]

That's horrible man. Marx was STUPID

[@bun2738]

eat their money?

[@thayse7744]

Yeah, but we should change just for angry people

[@tarunmittalphoto]

@@ArchKnight28 yes. Not very thoroughly, but a good amount

[@5h3nn0ng]

Imagine if Comedian had a Supreme sticker

[@pedromrls6]

Bruh, or Flex tape

[@alexklaskaris]

Too much

[@stoneswamp]

Brb putting a supreme sticker over the annoying oranges mouth

[@whit2642]

Then it would lose the entire aspect of what it is and it’s ability to relate throughout the years without being dated. 🙄

[@MikeGrahamDSM]

Nah. Best believe, Supreme WILL jump on that. 🙄

[@hakdogkau1811]

Rich People: Should I donate my $150,00 to poor people and feed children or buy.....(pause) ...OoooHhHhh A BaAnAaAanaAaa ooOooOonnNnn AaaaaAa WaaAaallLlL... Edit: wow 48 likes never had that much likes on a comment before..:)

[@biscuitface6721]

literally everybody: so you just bought a banana for $150,000? rich people: don't forget that it's stuck on a wall!

[@zackiechan2601]

Don't thank people for liking your comment. Please :(

[@hakdogkau1811]

Zackie chan why? Its fine... No harm done..:)

[@sandraswan9008]

@@hakdogkau1811 it looks petty

[@Mia-jz8sk]

lol funny comment

[@Peririnale]

OMG your last sentence is EXACTLY what I said when I have seen Comedian for the first time! "The art we deserve". I agree to the letter to your very accurate, balanced and complete analysis and, of course, with your conclusion which is spookily and quite literally corresponding to mine.

[@rickynevarez6604]

“But I FEAR it’s the art we deserve” oof that line got me.

[@berkleypearl2363]

The piece is “comedian” but we are the fools who take the bait and laugh.

[@mmagoat9636]

So she talked about Bananas for 12 minutes straight. She sure knows a lot about Bananas.

[@bloatedsodium7301]

Let me hear you say, this shit is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

[@BeyondtheRecord]

I can hear trombones in the distance

[@theartassignment]

I am going to have that song in my head all day.

[@N0t4v41l4ble]

And nuts at the same time.

[@postworld1185]

That's brilliant. He ate it and can replace it with the bowl movement containing the banana.

[@bobbob191]

Good point there. That would be accurate. Nail on the head. Accurate point. lol Prices are what prices are. But are prices always in the reasonable space? Is that the world? Is that how things are? Is that existence? Can't say so. lol That's my info I want to add. My contribution.

[@lorenabpv]

This made me think of something. There's an expression in portuguese that literally translates to "priced like bananas", to represent how European colonizers got what they wanted for a low cost and made a profit of it. We use this term nowadays to convey getting a good deal, which, I guess, this was too. Great video, even though I'm still unsure and confused about how I feel here :)

[@theartassignment]

Ha! That expression fits perfectly here. Thanks for expanding the meaning of the work, Lorena.

[@j_sampaio]

@@Ricardo-bw2yn "a preço de banana"... Maybe it's just a Brazilian Portuguese expression after all

[@marcelaquintanilla]

The term "banana republic" isn't about colonialism. (Disclaimer: I am not a historian, but i'll be careful and try not to give wrong facts). The term "banana republic" has to do with a third world country whose economy depends on low cost products, like bananas. In Honduras' case, the US installed a banana factory in the country by bribing the government into giving them a law-free land where they could get this factory to function. In other words, it ignored Honduras' law system and existed as their own country within the country. Anyway, they hired hondurans to work for them and the working conditions were awful, needless to say the pay was below minimum wage. Again, I am not a historian and I wrote this based on what I recalled from a class called "History of Honduras" in university.

[@lorenabpv]

@@marcelaquintanilla I meant in the sense of third world countries being exploited for low-cost production against the law, which has happened both in early colonization and modern exploiting. But yeah, I accidentally oversimplified the thing to fit the comment in order not to go in too long, so anyway thanks for explaining the term/the context of it in Honduras better.

[@alis29013]

@@Ricardo-bw2yn humm sweetie, I think you can't dissociate economics from the colonization process like that...

[@nullinvoid1415]

Him eating it and the gallery replacing it is a statement in itself.

[@tubeyou89119]

"Eating that banana as a form of art... " Hungry Banana Artist was the only one who got the joke... and the whole thing is a cam game and many people are happy to be part of it.

[@beneditaferreira9172]

Very interesting video! It's nice to see "Comedian" explained and talked about, without the purpose of ridiculing it. I really enjoy this youtube channel!

[@theartcouch5696]

Agree!

[@duraosunda]

Brasileira. Pelo nome podia ser portuguesa. Mas não. É brasileira.

[@beneditaferreira9172]

@@duraosunda sou portuguesa

[@aspiknf]

It deserves to be ridiculed though.

[@jerma953]

new minions movie but its about the $150,000 banana

[@kassemir]

Oh my god :D That would actually be brilliant. Like one of those heist films, but with Minions, who for some weird reason feel an attatchment to this work, as they, perhaps see a snippet of themselves in it. But, plot twist. They steal the banana, not the certificate.

[@rychartist]

When you procrastinated until the last moment and still managed to get an A+ by the teacher

[@creativeclub2023]

I will create a art work called : "A bunch of comedians" 😂

[@jacobredfield1386]

*AN!*

[@robbied2113]

I feel like the guy who wrote "Jeffery Epstein didn't kill himself" on the wall when they took comedian down deserved a shout out here. It added a certain something.

[@RumoHasIt]

"It might not be the art we want, but I fear it is the art we deserve." - Brilliantly said!

[@abdullahhussainrana5809]

This is literal expression of art. Imagine people believing in the value of money as a paper check to be of what ever value. I mean do you?

[@johnowen4231]

As a lover of Manzoni, the idea of the certificate being more valuable than the actual piece has me dying of laughter and disgust, while admiring the artist even more.

[@devandestudios128]

It's not entirely unreasonable to think "Comedian" could draw such harried discussion about it's inherent value, it's pointed indictment of modern societal views and it's laughing criticism of the art world. What I do find unreasonable, is ones willingness to pay the kind of money "Comedian" ultimately brought. It is ludicrous to my mind that anyone would be taken by a mere banana and a strip of duct tape. But as you've pointed out, the art is the discussion of the work, not necessarily the work itself. Thank for this video and for giving me a fresh perspective on the art world itself. And also on Comedian.

[@lunacouer]

I feel the same way about Supreme Streetwear, lol. It's not like their $200 t-shirts are super special, as far as shirts go. They aren't made of some new amazing material. They aren't specially hand-crafted. They're made in China, just like 99% of t-shirts out there. Take the logo off and it's just a $20 t-shirt. But people will still stand in lines for hours and drop $200 for that logo, or pay three times as much to resellers. Same thing with The Comedian. If this wasn't a well-known artist, in this specific venue, it's just a $0.15 banana slapped on a wall. Without the artificial scarcity of only five Certificates, it's just a good source of potassium. If anyone on Etsy tried the same thing, it would be the top post on r/delusionalartists. It's about the clout, not the banana, just like Supreme isn't about their product, but the limited availability of a brand name. They aren't t-shirts - they're bragging rights. I love that Maurizio Cattelan just trolled a bunch of rich people for being as basic as Instagram and KZbin flexers. That's some comedy gold right there. And he's laughing all the way to the bank.

[@cachorro25]

Is just an investment. They buy the artwork not because of its value, but because they are pretty sure they'll make a profit

[@Paulinemoke]

What I donot understand is the willingness to pay for that art by museeums. You could easily display this work without the certificate - making all the same points and spurring all the discussion without the money involved. Ultimatly, that would be more in the spirit of comedian than the original comedian.

[@MegaThunderfire]

Exactly... I don't understand at all why it would matter that much to someone to have a certificate for an idea that some artist came up with in literally 10 seconds. Everyone who liked that work should feel empowered to go home and ducktape all their vegetables, pencils and sex-toys against the wall if they so desire. Then they can discover how they and their friends feel about it... That way it may start an open discussion about aesthetics and how we feel about the objects that surround us, based on making yourself vulnerable for something that truly moved you and that you therefore make your own. This is what, to me, art should be about. Whipping out some 120k certificate, on the other hand, saying "oh no, you don't get it, it's art. Here, look, Mister-Italian-Artist-Man officially certified it!" is just lame and founded by a totally misguided authoritarianism. The only discussion it leads to is a mix of conservative outrage and "ironic" affirmation/appropriation on social media. Readymades have been artistically stale for a long time... yawn. But apparently they still work. I kinda admire that artists such as Cattelan manage to criticize the art world while at the same time making huge profit from it. He and the rich kinda validate each other.

[@lawilder2059]

Conceptual art presents an idea which then is discussed or expanded upon due to the artists emphasis of the matter. Comedian references the ridiculous nature of modern art economics. Much art has become a joke and does not contribute to the average persons quest for a meaningful aesthetic experience.

[@Mewmewblackberryyay]

The single line "the outrage is the art" hit me so hard in the most unfamiliar way that I want art to hit me

[@halusinjackbow8043]

In the case of the art being a banana, it would likely make a decent weapon.

[@anonymoose3350]

Wow it's bloody genius. The very fact that people will be outraged at its selling price of $150,000 is precisely what makes it worth $150,000

[@MohitTamta]

I love this video. As you talked about a BANANA for 12 minutes straight.

[@johnnzboy]

Love this channel and the host is irresistibly enthusiastic - I used to be censorious about conceptual art and thought jokey artists like Cattelan were just clever and cynical marketeers but, thanks to this channel among others, I'm more curious and receptive to "contemporary art" now. I still prefer figurative art though (o: And I've become quite a Cattelan fan in the last few years even, I bloody love his blend of provocation and banality.

[@wtrbrns]

Hey, what are the others channels that helped you with this view? I would love to see more

[@Vetlestr]

Wouldn't you say you bloody love his blend of provocation and bananity?

[@calum34]

Bananality? And yes, same for me.

[@Nono-hk3is]

Trust your initial impression. Don't drink the kool aid

[@thisbename]

@@Vetlestr Yes it's just wonderful the way he invites criticism of the art world whilst also having absolutely nothing of substance to say. Provocation and banality are, like, my favourite things about art.

[@stormRed]

"I mean it's one banana, how much could it cost, 120 000 dollars?

[@marvincraigroman]

Arrested Development reference?

[@cynic2201]

I love how the entire thing is just making fun of itself.

[@synapticmemoryseepage4447]

This is so funny. I love this. Yet, it's not calling out the absurdity of the art world, it's cashing in on it. The Art Assignment has a great analysis!

[@jorgem8384]

After they removed the banana someone came and wrote with lipstick "epstein didnt kill himself" Lmao

[@sylviapage61]

I'm actually really annoyed this wasn't mentioned.

[@TenderNoodle]

Honestly more artistic

[@d3r4g45]

The fact that art made such a huge waves into society, means it's relevant. When was the last time art was tweeted and shared and talked about as much?

[@halusinjackbow8043]

Unfortunately, relevance appears to be the main determination of value. Why should fame alone name value?

[@cataxy5697]

phone bad book good

[@achyuththouta6957]

@@cataxy5697 Phone is actually good. It's just social media that's trash

[@cataxy5697]

@@achyuththouta6957 lmao what i was saying was a joke. its mocking old people who assume all technology is bad and books are the best thing in the world.

[@radscorpion8]

@James Black I agree, I think. The only commentary that makes sense from the banana taped to a wall, is that modern art itself has become a joke. Which is strange because, it is acting both as a critique and as a perpetrator for the same crime. Its sad in a really funny way. You can't mock the stupidity of modern art anymore, because your mockery is the same quality as the modern art you are critiquing, so its not clear if you are contributing to the problem or commenting on the problem. Meanwhile the masses think its funny, ridiculous, meme worthy, and increasingly treat modern art as the (partial) joke that it has become. There were some pretty good joke artworks that came out of it though. Like the man in the banana costume taped to a wall. If modern art is supposed to be something I laugh at, its done a great job :).

[@gavinyates9189]

I got a job all the way through Art School and you taught me more in this small video then I ever learned about the business of Art. Thank you very much.

[@justyourlocalrat_]

after hearing john hype up the art assignment so much i've finally decided to give it a watch and omg i am SO glad i did

[@dissonantmoon]

The point that is being overlooked is that even though this work is superbly simple in its structure, what makes it a success and worth a great deal of money is the artist that has presented it. If a young artist just starting out were to exhibit it there may be some response from her friends but the art market isn’t going to pay $150,000 for it, that can only be done by a big name artist. So it is not just the whimsical nature of the idea but also who is showing it. Without a strong track record behind them no one is going to take works like this seriously and that is the essence; concept plus notoriety sells work.

[@edzejandehaan9265]

Indeed, it takes an emperor to wear The New Clothes. Any old peasant would just be naked...

[@thegothamcityqueen]

well this pretty much applies to everything

[@zainabsalman7041]

Another point I would like to add is that it's not just the fact that the artist was famous and/or important in the art world which contributed to the value of the artwork. It's also about the people in the art gallery who looked at 'Comedian', and the place where it was displayed, which eventually led to the art installation becoming famous. Like if the same artist displayed this piece of art not in this art show in Miami, but in some other part of the world where he and his works of art were lesser known, people may or may not have valued the art piece or the idea of it.

[@oliviapop5613]

@@zainabsalman7041 Indeed, it's the context that gives art its power and validity. This piece made me think about those teenage boys who put a pair of glasses on the floor in an art museum and visitors stopped to take photos.

[@ScottKorin]

What makes it worth a great deal of money is that somebody was willing to pay that much for it. Which is true about anything, I guess.

[@hurka.design]

We are bananas. Surprisingly this sentence explains this whole situation.

[@halusinjackbow8043]

Too much information in three words

[@CAT-2323]

Name checks out

[@WaitingForJerm]

With all the talk about NFTs floating around these days, this video is a complete explanation of how all that works.

[@oikkuoek]

I love this piece, and would definitely want to own it. It's the simplicity that speaks volumes. As a struggling, starving artist myself, I don't hold grudge against Cattelan, like most of us do, but I celebrate his again ingenious idea, and the pure bravery to not bend under the rules of what is considered as "Fine Art". At it's released form, it has much greater impact that it would have had, if it had been made from some other material. There were all kinds of pieces in that expo, with making processes which had shorten the lifespans of their artists, but who remembers them? No one. Who remembers the banana? Everyone! I can only wish I can some day come up with something as brilliant as the "Comedian".

[@DuncanEvers]

Finally something to answer to people when they ask me about this banana and why it is art because “you study art history and thus you should know”.

[@FrancescaPessarelli]

Duncan Evers YES! I work at a gallery (and went to ABMB and, yes, saw “comedian” in the flesh) and therefore apparently should know all about the work. All I know is that I sat in our booth, which was pretty close to Perrotin, and was asked way too many times where “the banana” was.

[@KillTheDeadMonkey]

2 much attention for a unoriginal ideea

[@Johncornwell103]

Nah its art because a bunch of rich people can use for tax dodging and money laundering.

[@maythesciencebewithyou]

Well, if you studied art history then you should be glad that people want to know your "professional" opinon. Or was it always difficult for you that you are glad that someone else can explain it better than you.

[@stphnmrrs3982]

Going around Leftbook there was a meme about a Billionaire who paid an artist $50,000 to draw a single streak on a canvas, then gets an appraiser friend to value it at $10,000,000, donates it to a museum and then writes it it all off of their taxes. And it ends with a frustrated museum patron going this is stupid and a pretentious hipster type going you're just not smart enough to understand it but we now know it's actually a rube to avoid paying taxes. I know the super rich keep great works of art in swiss storage centers where no one can see them for tax reasons so I wonder how much validity is there to the meme's claim

[@Trailtracker]

I dont have anything important to say but i really wish i was that artist

[@violahamilton782]

So true and so gross!

[@wolfiwonka]

The art that we want vs the art that we deserve. Touché

[@okbaygoitom3557]

I can’t wait to be a famous artist and sell a lot of cucumbers 🥒 for 200k each in the name of ART

[@KroK013]

The more I learn about "Comedian" the more I love it. I appreciate that it seems superficial, but allows casual art observers a window into the layered intentions behind an artist's work. For a majority of the population, visual pleasure is the primary way of evaluating artwork. But with "Comedian," lay viewers are forced to consider where the value comes from, since it clearly doesn't come from the banana and duct tape itself. So maybe "Comedian" isn't the art the art world needs, but that doesn't mean the rest of the world doesn't need it either.

[@Paushali24]

this ‼️‼️‼️

[@PeridotFacet-FLCut-XG-og1xx]

"he would have to eat the certificate..." *hold my banana*

[@ravindrajahagirdar2701]

it's the idea that makes everyone stare and laugh,talk. lovely work. Art must vibrate with ideas.

[@hennerz93]

Why conceptual art is genius: the video

[@RyanStonedonCanadianGaming]

7:53 Missed opportunity: *"Starving Artist being fed"*

[@OneOfTheStorms]

Thank you for putting to words exactly what I found annoying about Comedian. An artist can put their heart and soul into a beautiful masterpiece, and still be ignored compared to something utterly banal that has become capital A Art just by virtue of someone having enough clout to declare it Art. That fact shakes me to my core.

[@lunacouer]

This is definitely the dark-side of this concept. But I'm glad he exposed how ridiculous the art world can be. I laughed hard over the trolling aspect. He made almost $700,000 off of pretentious, wealthy art "patrons". He knew it wasn't Art with a capital A. But he wanted to see if they would call it Art with a capital A. Like, I can imagine one day he got frustrated with it all and shouted "Because I'm a name-brand now, I could slap a banana on a wall and these people will pay thousands for it! Where were they when I was first starting out, making sculptures and paintings with forethought, skill and insight?" And then I can imagine him saying "Ooooo, I should try it, just to see if they'll actually fall for it". That's the reason I put "patrons" in quotes. I don't see them giving a crap about art. The buyers were clout-chasing. "Oooo, I have a Certificate of Authenticity for a work by Maurizio Cattelan, the maker of the Gold Toilet! And everyone's talking about it!" Except they didn't realize that the talk was about how stupid it was to pay $150,000 for a banana slapped on a wall. I have a feeling it's why he called it "The Comedian". He, and we, were all laughing at them. He exposed those that don't care one iota about art - about quality, or talent, or skill, or beauty, or creative soul. They would have to be actual patrons - the ones that care about art, not fame. And like you said, there are so many artists out there that deserve people believing in their work.

[@OneOfTheStorms]

@@lunacouer Very well said. I now realise my annoyance lies not with the artist nor the art piece, but the system that made the art piece possible in the first place.

[@lunacouer]

@@OneOfTheStorms I hear you. I seriously, seriously HATE what wealth, elitism and tax shelters have done to the world of art. It's made the general public feel like it's not for them. I do like how the internet is democratizing art. So many artists are going outside the gallery system, which puts it back out for everyone to see. I feel like because of it, maybe we'll see more cracks in this system.

[@smaakjeks]

@@lunacouer "But he wanted to see if they would call it Art with a capital A." He's not the first one to succeed. Duchamp hung a shovel from the ceiling.

[@FrancescaZampollo]

YOUY ARE AWESOME! I love how you explain things and your point of you. truly... well done.

[@yeetskeitskeit4262]

This explains that a thing so simple can get really complex, Just like how events happen on a human

[@LtNduati]

I wish this channel was way more popular, because it's fantastic.

[@luciaaperez2398]

This was a great video! The Art Assignment never disappoints. :)

[@HappyCrackers]

If i win the lottery, the certificate is the first thing im buying.

[@gallerybygeve3217]

Will literally stand outside of your house with a boom box blasting “baby come back” because society needs more of this

[@equesdeventusoccasus]

"If you declare anything to be art, it is." This conceptual artwork is an extreme proof of concept for that idea.

[@yvonnebouwhuis9419]

i completed my art history degree 5 years ago and i have missed talks like this so much. thank you so much for that.

[@The1of1000]

This is actually an incredible piece of art.

[@ronrendon]

Brilliantly done PBS. This was highly enjoyable.

[@shm6897]

Duchamp: The artist can never hope to complete the work of art. That’s the role of the spectator. Like refining sugar from molasses.

[@Haldered]

my problem is it's extremely unoriginal. its saying the same thing artists like Duchamp have been saying for years. it's saying what anyone who has been exposed to meme culture or the art world already knows. the whole media circus is just as boring as taping a banana to a wall. i love conceptual art, but a medium that focuses on ideas could do a hell of a lot better exploring them

[@bennohulsing4326]

The whole "what can be art??" thing is so overrated and overdone

[@HoodlumMedia]

@@bennohulsing4326 i think it's supposed to be taking the mick out of that whole "what can be art" thing....

[@tanyacockle6469]

"I'd like you to clear what you know or what you think you know about it." Me, who's never heard about this prior to this video: done

[@selo4485]

This was probably the best analysis you can find anywhere

[@alexella9689]

i am not frustrated with comedian because it "looks easy to make" because there is plenty of art i like that is like that. its that the message is just the same message on repeat that people have been saying for years without any new contributions or like you said depth i just don't like the idea that this is anything new. its not new and its strange to me that it might be intended as criticism of the very part of society that is most excited about it and was there to view it... if there is a message i am pretty sure its not getting accross, maybe because there isn't much of one at all and it makes a cool photo opportunity and a trendy thing to talk about its kind of like: lets criticize the wealthy wealthy: oh look how fun its a critism of all of society and a cool photo op

[@man.6618]

yeah like she said at the end of the video: its criticizing the superficiality of the art world in a superficial way

[@MissLilyputt]

I too find it interesting that criticizing the wealthy and those that regularly are patrons of the arts is thought to be a new idea. It’s a tale as old as time. Decades of artists now claiming that their art is a satire or criticism about what the art world is while also participating in the very thing they’re criticizing. It’s a snake eating its own tail. One day (hopefully soon) that snake will eat itself out of existence.

[@sandpiperbf9767]

the fact that these kinds of pieces exist, are taken in stride by those being "criticized" (as if the artist himself isn't part of the wealthy?) and purchased for large sums of money is all terribly ironic and kind of disgusting in my opinion. It feels completely ingenuine.

[@sandpiperbf9767]

Makes me think it's really more of a mockery of real genuine values and modernity than of the wealthy. I hate postmodernism.

[@Captain_MonsterFart]

Totally! It's been done a million times now.

[@Eruidraith]

the guy who ate the bannana is a true artist, tbh, and his work is as audacious as it is poignant

[@voxifera2300]

He should sell a certificate of authenticity of his performance of eating the comedian/banana

[@kiloalphahotel5354]

Thanks for the vid. Always great.

[@ashdotpy]

thank you for the video! it really has helped me teach this to my students and open their world a little bit more rather than just "hate" it

[@DriesMark]

The art is the reactions.. the memes. The self aware self referential, play on a socially understood ideas and give those ideas new context. To dive deeper is to realise that two art worlds currently exist. The commercial business of art fairs, and the meta conceptual digital expressions found in our digital culture. I look forward to you looking deeper in digital culture and the currency of sharing and what impact it's having globally in industries and with individuals.

[@KevinRusso]

This is one of those videos I need to show to non-art people. It gives them insight into what art is really about.

[@alasdairmacintyre9383]

Doesn't make it less stupid.

[@ineffablemars]

Yeah, no. You’re hijacking the name of art. Art takes skill and practice.

[@KevinRusso]

@@ineffablemars Art is a subjective idea.

[@ineffablemars]

@@KevinRusso everything is a subjective idea.. but that doesn't mean that we don't place value on and rules about certain things.

[@KevinRusso]

@@ineffablemars Governing Rules for art produces stagnation. What are the possibilities that this action opens up for someone? This is no less art then Warhol's "Readymades" or Duchamp's "Fountain"

[@jesusbride11]

A great discussion of all the implications of the contemporary art market and this work.

[@djspringtrap536]

Can't wait to see another version of this painting.

[@beckettstevens9529]

A graphic design major at East Carolina University did this exactly way earlier and did NOT receive 150k for it.

[@TheCanvasArtHistory]

I'm very happy you made a video on this! Love your content! Truly and inspiration!

[@SourSourSour]

Heyy!! Good to see you in the comments here. I love both of y'alls channels a lot

[@brianmcmanus4286]

I frickin' love this series, and I think "Comedian" is ridiculously clever.

[@feifeichen6795]

It is a win-win situation. The artist gets the money, the riches have fun, and the poors never buy these things. Much more meaningful than most fashion designs.

[@ThreeFacedNaiad]

Love this! Thank you for going through all the different factors that went into the work and going into the history of Bananas in Art, and also thank you for talking about it seriously!