Contemporary art is flush with outlandish, absurd and sometimes head-scratching moments that push boundaries and stir up conversations. Here are some standout moments that exemplify the more conceptual side of the art world:
Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian, 2019
Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan created an artwork in an edition of three titled Comedian, which was literally a banana duct-taped [RR3:28] to a wall. In November 2024 one sold to cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun for US$6.2 million. Soon afterward, he ate the banana onstage, comparing it to a crypto asset and saying: “The real value is the concept itself.” The real “artwork” was arguably the concept, but the simplicity and high price tag sparked derision, outrage and laughter worldwide.
Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece, 1964 (performed multiple times)
Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece is a performance art piece in which she sits on stage, inviting the audience to cut off pieces of her clothing. While the performance started in the 1960s, it’s been revived many times since. The audience’s involvement in the destruction of the artist’s clothing stirred debates on vulnerability, control and the role of the viewer – becoming an iconic and somewhat unsettling piece of avant-garde art.
Martin Creed’s The Lights Going On and Off, 2000
This piece, which won the Turner Prize in 2001, consists of an empty room in which lights turn on and off at five-second intervals. Many viewers questioned the artistic merit of something so minimal, but for Creed, the work was about simplicity, presence and absence. Reactions ranged from people seeing it as “anti-art” to others praising its minimalism. The work has remained a controversial example of what art can be – or perhaps, what it doesn’t need to be.
Chris Burden’s Shoot, 1971
In a notorious performance, Burden arranged to be shot in the arm by a friend with a rifle. The piece was meant to explore themes of control, pain and violence, and it definitely made an impact on the art world. It remains one of the most extreme examples of body art and performance art – pushing physical limits to convey meaning and provoke a strong response.
Anish Kapoor’s Blackest Black, 2016
Kapoor acquired exclusive rights to use Vantablack, a substance that absorbs 99.965% of visible light, making it the darkest black ever created. Kapoor’s exclusivity led to a feud with British artist Stuart Semple, who created his own super-pink paint and banned Kapoor from using it. The spat escalated online, creating an absurd “colour war” that both artists fuelled in very public (and petty) ways.
Tracey Emin’s My Bed, 1998
Tracey Emin’s installation My Bed was literally her unmade bed, complete with stained sheets, cigarette butts and empty bottles, which she created in a period of intense emotional turmoil. The piece was shortlisted for the Turner Prize and stirred a huge public reaction, with some calling it a masterpiece of confessional art and others dismissing it as lazy. It opened doors to new forms of raw, autobiographical expression and sparked debate on what constitutes “finished” art.
Damien Hirst’s The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, 1991
This famous artwork features a 14-foot tiger shark preserved in formaldehyde within a glass tank. Hirst intended it to confront people with their fear of death, but it’s become one of the most absurd (and iconic) examples of shock art.
