Artist Behind Banana Taped To Wall Can't Escape Copyright Suit

Skip to contentBloomberg the Company & Its ProductsThe Company & its ProductsBloomberg Terminal Demo RequestBloomberg Anywhere Remote LoginBloomberg Anywhere LoginBloomberg Customer SupportCustomer Support

• Bloomberg

  Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world

  For Customers

  • Bloomberg Anywhere Remote Login
  • Software Updates
  • Manage Products and Account Information

  Support

  Americas+1 212 318 2000

  EMEA+44 20 7330 7500

  Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000

• Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Tech At Bloomberg
  • Philanthropy
  • Sustainability
  • Bloomberg London
  • Bloomberg Beta

  Communications

  • Press Announcements
  • Press Contacts

  Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

• Products

  • Bloomberg Terminal
  • Data
  • Trading
  • Risk
  • Compliance
  • Indices

  Industry Products

  • Bloomberg Law
  • Bloomberg Tax
  • Bloomberg Government
  • BloombergNEF

• Media

  • Bloomberg Markets
  • Bloomberg Technology
  • Bloomberg Pursuits
  • Bloomberg Politics
  • Bloomberg Opinion
  • Bloomberg Businessweek
  • Bloomberg Live Conferences
  • Bloomberg Radio
  • Bloomberg Television
  • News Bureaus

  Media Services

  • Bloomberg Media Distribution
  • Advertising

• Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Tech At Bloomberg
  • Philanthropy
  • Sustainability
  • Bloomberg London
  • Bloomberg Beta

  Communications

  • Press Announcements
  • Press Contacts

  Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

• Products

  • Bloomberg Terminal
  • Data
  • Trading
  • Risk
  • Compliance
  • Indices

  Industry Products

  • Bloomberg Law
  • Bloomberg Tax
  • Bloomberg Government
  • Bloomberg Environment
  • BloombergNEF

• Media

  • Bloomberg Markets
  • Bloomberg Technology
  • Bloomberg Pursuits
  • Bloomberg Politics
  • Bloomberg Opinion
  • Bloomberg Businessweek
  • Bloomberg Live Conferences
  • Bloomberg Radio
  • Bloomberg Television
  • News Bureaus

  Media Services

  • Bloomberg Media Distribution
  • Advertising

• Bloomberg

  Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world

  For Customers

  • Bloomberg Anywhere Remote Login
  • Software Updates
  • Manage Contracts and Orders

  Support

  Americas+1 212 318 2000

  EMEA+44 20 7330 7500

  Asia Pacific+65 6212 1000

Bloomberg Law

• Antitrust
• Artificial Intelligence
• Banking
• Bankruptcy
• Before the Bar
• Benefits & Executive Compensation
• Bloomberg Law Analysis
• Business & Practice
• California Brief
• Cannabis
• Capital Markets
• Class Action
• Construction Labor
• Crypto
• Daily Labor Report
• Delaware Brief
• Employment
• Environment & Energy
• ESG
• Federal Contracting
• Health Law & Business
• Human Resources
• Immigration
• In-House Counsel
• Insurance
• International Trade
• IP
• Labor Relations
• Legal Ethics
• Legal Exchange: Insights & Commentary
• Legal Ops & Tech
• Litigation
• Litigation Finance
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• New York Brief
• Occupational Safety & Health
• Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences
• Privacy & Cybersecurity
• Private Equity
• Product Liability & Toxics
• Securities
• Social Justice & Diversity
• Tech & Telecom
• Texas Brief
• US Law Week
• White Collar & Criminal

Bloomberg Tax

• Daily Tax Report ®
• Daily Tax Report International
• Daily Tax Report State
• Financial Accounting
• Payroll
• Tariffs
• Tax Insights & Commentary
• Tax Management International
• Tax Management Memo
• Transfer Pricing

IPPrintEmailShare To:FacebookLinkedIn

• ‘Comedian’ sculptures sold for $390,000 at Art Basel
• Banana taped to wall meets minimum creativity standard

The artist behind a viral sculpture featuring a banana taped to a wall at the 2019 Art Basel fair in Miami was unable to immediately shake a lawsuit claiming he copied the artwork from another artist.

The idea of a banana duct-taped to a wall is uncopyrightable, but the specific “selection, coordination, and arrangement” of the various elements of the sculpture can receive a degree of protection, Judge Robert N. Scola Jr. said in his Wednesday opinion.

At this early stage of the suit, artist Joe Morford sufficiently argued that the Art Basel exhibit, known as “Comedian,” was substantially similar ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

See Breaking News in Context

Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.

Learn more

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.

Log In © 2026 Bloomberg Industry Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved Sign Up For Newsletters