US$6.2M Banana

[pauln]

When I took Art History in HS, there was going to be an exhibit of a very profound collection from USSR (Gauguin, Monet, Picasso, Kandinsky, etc.) about mid semester, so our teacher started us in that period rather than from the ancients. She had arraigned a field trip to the exhibition and wanted us to be prepared for what we would see.

Generally, I don't care for abstract expressionism in art (although I liked seeing Kandinsky for real), but in music I love a lot of what could be described as abstract expressionism - at the same time, I absolutely abhor formal atonal compositions as a class of music.

I hear sounds as music; but I view few visions as art, excepting some natural ones.
Borrowing Mr. B"s form above; to me, the connection between visual and auditory arts is not just separable, but highly independent.

[Gilpy]

A banana duct taped to a wall is most certainly art, and the object itself is only a small part of the artwork, which encompasses the 6.2 million price, the outrage, and even this thread.

[Eugle]

Honestly, I don't get this kind of art. I understand there is an idea behind it, but how can it be compared, for example, to famous paintings and cost the same? It seems like part of a trend more than an actual value. Purchasing Power reviews can sometimes distort what art is "worth." It’s about status and hype rather than inherent quality or meaning.

[Al Haig]

[Al Haig]

If I had 6.2 million $$ burning a hole in my pocket I would probably be more likely to buy a personal surfing wave pool and not a banana. :P

[Litterick]

Sotheby's allowed payment in cryptocurrency for the auction. The work was bought by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur. It is possible that real money was not used in this transaction. The 6.2 million might be a nominal value, a representation that is only tangentially related to the digital tokens exchanged for the work.