When a banana taped to a wall sold for a staggering Rs 52.35 crore in New York, it wasn’t just art — it was a cultural phenomenon. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan’s provocative creation, bought by cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun for $6.2 million, was hailed as a bridge between art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. Sun, who snagged the fresh banana at the auction, called it a symbol of the times.
But it does make one wonder: if a banana can spark a bidding frenzy, what would a mango fetch? Especially Alphonso, the undisputed king of fruit. Or better yet, a watermelon — secured to the wall with industrial-grade duct tape for extra drama. And why stop there? A jackfruit, with its spiky grandeur, could create a sensation, provided someone figures out how to keep it taped long enough to sell.
Not all those who fall are losers
Now imagine if these fruity artworks decided to part ways with the wall. Picture a watermelon breaking free, crashing to the floor in a glorious red explosion. The scattered pulp and seeds might be declared ‘a vivid reminder of life’s passing moments’. Auction prices? Through the roof, naturally.
And the jackfruit? If its sweet, golden bulbs spilled across the gallery floor, connoisseurs might label it ‘a chaotic celebration of abundance’. Its lingering aroma, either heavenly or heady, depending on your olfactory taste, could spark spirited bidding wars.
Like Cattelan’s banana, payment for these splattered masterpieces could very well be in cryptocurrency, adding to the avant-garde allure. The buyers wouldn’t take home the fruit, of course, but the story of owning the most talked-about squashed fruit in art history.
In a country where fruits are woven into festivals and daily life, maybe it’s time we looked at them differently. Could the next masterpiece be a coconut mounted on a pedestal or guava dangling from golden threads? The possibilities are endless. Who knows, your local mandi might just be the next hub for groundbreaking art. It seems the lines between art, absurdity, and audacity have never been juicier.
