The Banana Meme That Took Over Art Basel

Art Basel, one of the world's premier art fairs, recently witnessed a peculiar phenomenon that quickly went viral - a duct-taped banana installation by artist Maurizio Cattelan. The artwork, titled 'Comedian,' sent shockwaves through the art world and beyond, as collectors scrambled to get their hands on it.

The piece was so popular that it drew uncontrollable crowds, prompting security to cover it up with white cardboard. But this didn't deter performance artist David Datuna, who decided to take matters into his own hands. He sauntered over to the artwork, peeled the banana, and began eating it, declaring himself a 'hungry artist.'

Despite concerns from the gallery that the banana was attracting too many visitors and risking damage to nearby artworks, the installation became an instant sensation. The unassuming fruit unleashed total chaos on Miami, as collectors clamored for a piece of art history.

The banana-induced frenzy reached its peak on Saturday afternoon when Datuna ate the artwork. This prompted the gallery to remove the original banana from the booth, replacing it with a spare one they had sourced beforehand.

Not surprisingly, the artwork became a viral sensation almost instantly. Within minutes of the fair's opening day, Cattelan was receiving texts from friends who were recreating the artwork at home. Two artist proofs were not sold, despite widespread demand, but the third edition was snapped up by a collector for $150,000.

The collector has promised to donate the piece to a museum, cementing its place in art history as one of the most talked-about artworks of all time. The banana meme that started it all will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.

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