"Comédienne": The Female Answer to Cattelan's Million-Dollar Banana at the Red-Dot Miami Art Fair

Austrian artist Elke Schmölzer will present her extraordinary work "Comédienne – Metamorphosis" at the Red-Dot Miami Art Fair from December 4th to 8th, 2024. This unique artwork originally the female response to Maurizio Cattelan's famous work "Comedian," which was auctioned at Sotheby's New York on November 20th for 6.2 million dollars. The foregoing newsflashes and initiated the final phase of metamorphosis for Schmölzer's creation. Cattelan's "Comedian" was first shown at Art Basel Miami in 2019 and was sold originally for $120,000.

On May 1st, 2022, Schmölzer received, as a special gift, a sweet potato shaped like a vulva – a distinctly female symbol – through a rare natural occurrence. This one-of-a-kind sweet potato became the foundation for "Comédienne," the female counterpart to Cattelan's banana. Due to its ephemeral nature, the sweet potato could only be kept fresh for a few weeks, leading to a continuous metamorphosis of the artwork.

The culmination of this transformation, now known as "Comédienne-Metamorphosis," will be showcased at the Red-Dot Miami Art Fair. This artwork, presented by Gallery Steiner and Elke Schmölzer herself, symbolizes the transience and constant evolution of art and nature, making it a truly unique piece. Brimming with springtime hormonal power, it breaks free from centuries-old bonds of conformity. Schmölzer invites viewers to engage in philosophical debates on gender roles, the fleeting nature of moments, and the strategies of the art market.

By October 2024, "Comédienne" had transformed into a silver blue glittering butterfly, representing spiritual birth and infinity. Detailed documentation of this unique transformation will be presented. Elke Schmölzer will be present to engage with the audience, sharing her universe of happiness, deep nights of the soul, and inspirations from "life, love, and the deep blue sea."

"Let's talk about what we value."