Elke Schmölzer "Comédienne"

Comédienne - Metamorphosis

Press Release (2024 November 15 )

“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” at the Red-Dot Miami Art Fair from December 4th to 8th, 2024. This unique artwork is the female response to Maurizio Cattelan’s famous work “Comedian,” which will be auctioned at Sotheby’s New York in November for over one million dollars. This newsflash 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 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.” 

Birth
2022 May 1st

April showers

brought me a wild May flower

born by Gaia big Mother Earth

discovered and provided by precious Birge

sweet potato

sweet inspiration

apparently ready for initiation

me not yet aware of the holy dimension

where the journey would lead us

Mother Earth´s deep intention

Sweet potato

Sweet inspiration

All yet included in the raw naked version

Never imagined the wide reaching circles

would develop to my alter ego in person

Metamorphosis

1.11. 2024 21:21

"Comédienne"

Elke Schmölzer ICONS 2022

Sweet potato grey fabric tape frame

60x60cm

US-$ 120.000.- or highest bid

The feminine answer to Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian" * is spontaneous, unique, and ephemeral, and is adorned with a frame. It does not allow itself to be quickly snacked on by a passing visitor**, but first wants to be gently fried in order to fully develop its delicious taste - as a symbol of unleashed femininity it also got rid of the constricting armour tape, which - as a remnant of and vague link to the banana - is still hanging on the edge of the frame.

*At Art Basel Miami Beach 2019 art fair, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan sticks a banana to the wall with grey fabric tape at the stand of his gallery Emmanuel Perrotin. The artwork, entitled "Comedian", has an edition of 3 pieces, which are offered at US$120,000 each. Two of them are also sold there.

**Action artist David Datuna grabs the attached banana unhindered at that Art Basel Miami and consumes it.

Banana versus sweet potato

On 3 May 2022, Galerie Steiner, in Vienna's first district, presents the Austrian answer to Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian", also known as the 120,000 - dollar - banana at Art Basel Miami 2019, in a special exhibition.

The winking and yet enigmatic "Comédienne" by Elke Schmölzer, female counterpart to the banana, bristles with springtime hormonal power, bursts out of centuries-old bonds of conformity and presents itself in a golden light on the path to a new togetherness.

With her artwork, the Vienna-based artist challenges the viewer to philosophical debate and discourse on topics such as gender roles and their respective typical character traits, the transience and preciousness of the moment, the unleashing of femininity and, last but not least, the mad strategies and prices of the international art market.