The Labyrinth of Price and Value: The Mystery of Bananas and Desire

The issue of price and value is unavoidable when discussing the realm of luxury.

I was utterly dumbfounded by the news of a "work" involving a banana taped to a wall selling for over 900 million yen. The artist, Maurizio Cattelan, known as the "Joker" of the art world, sold it to a Chinese entrepreneur involved in cryptocurrency. To top it off, the buyer ate the banana within a few days.

I ’ve felt the same sense of dismay toward books that, despite being shallow and poorly crafted, somehow become "bestsellers."

The price paid for a service or product is determined independently of production costs, time invested, or the creator’s level of expertise. It’s a sobering and absurd reality that can feel disheartening. I imagine many creators who dedicate themselves to honing their craft and cultivating their ideas can relate.

Creating a masterpiece with great skill and heartfelt effort does not guarantee commercial success. Part of the work lies in imagining what customers need, want, dream of, and find satisfying—and evoking empathy to resonate with them.

I understand this, but human desires remain an enigma to me. The desire to spend over 900 million yen on a banana and some tape... that's a mystery I can’t unravel.

Photo: Public Domain