Has the price of art gone bananas?

What in the World

• Episode: Has the price of art gone bananas?
• Website: What in the World
• Feed URL: https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/w13xtvrv.rss
• Duration: 00:12:16
• Published: 2024-11-29 15:30

The world’s most expensive banana has been sold at an auction for more than $6 million. It’s Maurizio Cattelan's 2019 work Comedian and it’s literally just a banana duct-taped to a wall.

The new owner bought the right to display the installation along with a guide on how to replace the fruit (it doesn’t stay fresh for long!).

But what makes it art? And why would someone eat a multi-million dollar banana? BBC arts reporter Yasmin Rufo takes us through the story and helps us decide if us taping a banana to a wall in our studio counts as art. We also hear from two people in the art world - artist Maddie Exton and critic Hakim Bishara - for their thoughts on this infamous banana.

Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Email: [email protected] Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Hayley Clarke, Benita Barden and Mora Morrison. Editor: Julia Ross-Roy