A banana taped to a wall? This artist says he did it first. The Supreme Court ignored him.; USA TODAY, April 7, 2025

Maureen Groppe , USA TODAY; A banana taped to a wall? This artist says he did it first. The Supreme Court ignored him.

"California artist Joe Morford tried, hoping the Supreme Court would give him credit for being the first person to tape a banana to the wall in the name of art. But the justices on Monday rejected his fruit suit. 

That leaves in place lower court rulings that Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, who sold his banana art work, “Comedian,” for about $6.2 million last year, did not rip the idea off of Morford."

Art Basel banana artist prevails in copyright lawsuit; Axios, June 13, 2023

 Deirdra Funcheon, Axios; Art Basel banana artist prevails in copyright lawsuit

"The Art Basel banana did not rip off a similar work, a federal judge in Miami ruled last Friday.

What's happening: Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan famously taped a banana to a wall at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019, titled "Comedian," which sold for $120,000. 

• He was sued by California artist Joe Morford, creator of a 2001 work, "Banana and Orange," but prevailed in a case alleging copyright infringement.

The bottom line: Cattelan claimed he'd never seen Morford's work and was expanding off his own idea from 2018, when he'd depicted a banana with red duct tape for a cover of New York Magazine.

• In granting Cattelan's motion for summary judgment, Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. pointed to differences between the artworks, including the background and the angle at which the bananas were placed."