When Mauritzio Cattelan duct-taped a banana (officially titled “Comedian”) to a wall last year at Art Basel Miami, the world went into a spin. But, it appears, none more than fellow artist Damien Hirst who says he actually tried to purchase one of the work’s $120,000 editions (one of which had already been eaten by a performance artist) only to be told a stern no.
“I was desperate to buy this artwork from Maurizio Cattelan, called ‘Comedian’, because I love it so much,” Hirst wrote on his Instagram. “I asked my friend and curator Francesco Bonami to ask Maurizio if he had an A.P. he could sell me or if he would make me a special one? I offered to swap it for anything of mine? But sadly he said no! Wahhhh!”
However, given the total lack of artistic skills involved in duct-taping a banana to a wall, Bonami simply made one himself and gifted it to Hirst. “This is it now on my wall and I love it, he said the banana has to point the opposite way,” Hirst advised. “Thanks Francesco and thanks for trying! Maybe I should call you Francesco Bananami from now on!?”
When pressed by a follower why he loves the artwork so much, Hirst replied: “Because after everything we’ve seen in art it’s still shocking and upsetting and it makes me laugh.”
Hirst promises to switch in a new banana each week, as per Catellan’s instructions for the artwork, and eat the old one.