Maurizio Cattelan's $120,000 Artworld Banana Craze Continues with "X-Mas Banana Tree"
36 Bananas Adorn 9-foot Designer Christmas Tree, Created by Renowned Miami Artist/ Christmas Guru, Byron Keith Byrd
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.: A 9-foot-tall Banana Christmas Tree has been created by abstract expressionist artist Byron Keith Byrd, who also penned bestselling "O Christmas Tree," with Rizzoli International. This high-end coffee table book features celebrity Christmas trees Byrd designed for the likes of Georgio Armani, Harry Winston and Baccarat, among others. The artist is also known for his signature ornament collection, as well as for the 8-foot-tall Christmas tree he designed for The Today Show.
Recognized for his signature "ribbon spill," the Banana Tree "spill" implements winter whites and silver to contrast his client's vibrantly colored family ornament collection. Thirty-six plastic bananas are individually hand-tied to the tree by 1/2 inch Gasgosian – ooops - Grosgrain – ribbon. A la Cattalan, duct tape takes center stage at the bottom of the tree, where it is used to fashion the cornucopia.
For Byrd, "I used plastic bananas as I did not to want to tempt David Datuna, who devoured the original banana at Art Basel."
Byrd's Christmas tree is estimated to be worth $4,320,000. To view Byrd's artwork, visit http://www.ByronKeithByrd.com.
Byron Keith Byrd is an abstract expressionist painter with work in numerous private and public collections. His art has been featured in Miami New Times and various national publications. He is the author of bestselling "O Christmas Tree," published through Rizzoli International as well as "The Rockefeller Center Tree." Byrd currently divides his time between New York City and Miami Beach.
