Fine Art or Farce?

Have you ever looked at a work of art and wondered, “What makes this art?” Or maybe you’ve thought, “I could have done that.” Many artists inspire discussion, debate, and new ideas about what art can be.

The artists who created the famous works shown here make unusual choices to captivate—or befuddle—their audiences. As you read, think about your own interpretations of each work and determine for yourself: Is it art?

Maurizio Cattelan, Comedian, 2019. Cindy Ord/Getty Images.

What makes this banana more than a piece of fruit?

Maurizio Cattelan: Comedian, 2019

  • In 2019, everyone in the art world was talking about a banana. Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan caused a stir at an art fair, Art Basel Miami Beach, by duct-taping a real banana to the gallery wall as his contribution to the fair. Titled Comedian, the work sold for $120,000, and additional versions sold for even more!
  • Comedian prompted both awe and outrage. A spare banana was kept at the gallery in case the taped banana was stolen. Without a certificate of authenticity from the artist, the banana would just be an ordinary fruit.
  • Cattelan worked on his idea for about a year. At first, he had sculpted bananas in bronze and resin. “In the end, one day I woke up and I said, ‘The banana is supposed to be a banana,’ ” he explains.
  • The artist didn’t comment on the work’s meaning. But viewers had many ideas about it. Two of the buyers even compared it to Andy Warhol’s depiction of a Campbell’s Soup can (see "How to Appropriately Appropriate").

Damian Hirst, The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991. Oli Scarff/Getty Images.

What ideas does Hirst explore in this controversial work?

Damian Hirst: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991

  • Damien Hirst is one of the most controversial and best-selling artists in the world. His work shown here, casually called “The Shark,” is a 14-foot-long tiger shark preserved in the chemical formaldehyde and contained in a glass display case.
  • In 2004, “The Shark” sold for an undisclosed amount, rumored to be at least $8 million!
  • Fans of Hirst believe the work allows viewers to face their own fears of death—Hirst used a shark that is “big enough to eat you”—while pondering the death of the animal. Others disagree, arguing that a dead shark simply cannot be art.
  • By 2006, the original shark had begun to decay and was replaced with another shark, prompting questions about whether it could still be considered the same work of art.

Marina Abramović, The Artist Is Present, 2010. Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images.

What is Abramović’s medium in this performance?

Marina Abramović, The Artist Is Present, 2010

  • Marina Abramović has been creating provocative performance art since the 1970s. “The first time I put my body in front of [an] audience, I understood: This is my media,” she once said.
  • The Artist Is Present took place at the Museum of Modern Art in 2010. For three months, Abramović sat at a table for eight hours a day. Visitors had the chance to sit across from her as she silently gazed into their eyes. The experience brought some to tears.
  • Long lines formed, and the chair opposite the artist was always occupied. In total, Abramović sat with more than 1,000 people.
  • She aimed to explore human connection, and even she was surprised by the work’s power.

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