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On the evening of November 20, Sotheby’s auction house sold an artwork by Maurizio Cattelan for an astonishing sum. The piece, entitled Comedian, is not a conventional painting or sculpture. It consists of an ordinary banana, duct-taped to a wall at a jaunty angle. The hammer price? A staggering US$6.2 million (£4.9 million). The widespread incredulity surrounding this exorbitant price has been tinged with humour. The sale has been perceived by many as a kind of jest at the expense of the buyer, Chinese-born crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun. It has even spawned its own meme and hash-tag, #BTW , which stands for “Banana Tape Wall”. Sun took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to say he was “thrilled” with his purchase and would be eating the banana in the coming days. Bananas have a rich comedic history. Given that Comedian is the title of the artwork, we are seemingly invited to conclude that Sun’s purchase itself is an unintentional pratfall – a slip on a banana peel. However, Cattelan claims that Comedian serves as “a sincere commentary on what we value” rather than merely a joke. Exploring Comedian’s place within the realm of conceptual art reveals its implications for our understanding of value, the role of technology – and the evolving relationship between art and finance. Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here . The essence of Comedian lies not in the specific combination of the banana and duct tape, but rather in the accompanying documentation. This documentation provides detailed instructions for replacing the perishable components (the banana and duct tape) that constitute the physical representation of the work. It also includes a certificate of authenticity, which is the essential element. This certificate elevates any arrangement of banana and tape, when executed according to the instructions, from a mere snack into a specific artwork by Maurizio Cattelan. This unique approach challenges conventional notions of art ownership and value, underscoring the significance of the idea embodied in the artwork rather than its physical manifestation. Comedian and the legacy of conceptual art Comedian is part of a lineage of conceptual art that broadens the definition of art and subverts traditional notions of artistic value. It invites comparisons to Marcel Duchamp’s Fountain (1917), a ready-made urinal presented as art, and to Andy Warhol’s Brillo Boxes (1964), which were silk-screened plywood replicas of commercial packaging. However, the most relevant precursor is Michael Craig-Martin’s 1973 conceptual masterpiece, An Oak Tree . It consists of a glass of water placed on a shelf, accompanied by a transcript of a conversation in which the artist explains how he has “changed” the glass of water into an oak tree, without physically altering any object. All these works, including Comedian, draw attention away from the material and aesthetic qualities of objects to focus on the concepts or ideas they embody. As art critic Rosalind Krauss has explained , conceptual art takes the idea, rather than the object, as the locus of artistic practice. In Comedian, the banana is transient and replaceable. Its worth lies in the certificate of authenticity, the artist’s conceptual gesture and the discussion it generates. An intriguing aspect of this piece is that it is not a unique object. Rather, it is part of a limited edition of three. US$6.2 million is a significant amount for a one-off piece. It is even more extraordinary for an item that is part of an edition. The work’s provocative simplicity and its association with the perceived excesses of the art market invite critique and reflection, which seems to be a deliberate point. Ultimately, Comedian is not merely a banana – it is one of three conceptual artworks whose essence is best understood as virtual. This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too. The crypto connection The surge in value of virtual bananas is paralleled by the rising tide of another intangible asset: cryptocurrency. Since the reelection of crypto-enthusiast Donald Trump, the value of a single bitcoin has surged by about a third , nearing US$100,000 (£79,300). Sun’s interest in Comedian is intricately linked to his advocacy for blockchain technology and cryptocurrency, drawing parallels between conceptual art and the digital currency market. Both challenge established value systems, disrupting traditional notions of ownership and authenticity. Cryptocurrencies derive their worth from decentralised networks and cryptographic protocols rather than from physical assets, which resonates with the conceptual art focus on ideas over tangible objects. However, this comparison raises questions about the speculative nature of both markets, suggesting that value may be governed more by hype than by intrinsic worth. This dynamic appears to be one that the artist is intentionally engaging with. In light of this, one might ponder whether it was precisely this commentary that attracted Justin Sun to the work. Comedian challenges perceptions of value ownership, and the very nature of art itself, while reflecting the complexities of contemporary cultural and financial landscapes. The piece has become not only a noteworthy artefact within the art world but also a provocative statement about the intersection of art and capitalism in today’s society. Benedict Carpenter van Barthold does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.slot jackpot meter 。

LODI, Calif., Dec. 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Farmers & Merchants Bancorp (OTCQX: FMCB ) announced today that Deborah Skinner, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, will be retiring effective December 31, 2024, after 24 years with Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California. The Company previously announced her intention to retire back on September 9, 2024. Ms. Skinner will remain with the Company through year-end to assist with the transition. "On behalf of the entire team at FMCB and the Board of Directors, I want to thank Debbie for her leadership and dedication to our company,” said Kent A. Steinwert, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of FMCB. “During her time with the Company, Debbie has been vital to the development and successful execution of our business operations and strategy. I also want to personally thank Debbie for being a trusted advisor to me and true business partner to our management team. We all wish her a happy and well-deserved retirement.” The Company also announced that Troy D. Harper will join the Company as its Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer effective December 9, 2024. Mr. Harper brings over 30 years of operational expertise in financial services to FMCB, including more than 20 years in commercial and retail banking. Prior to joining FMCB, he was Executive Vice President, Chief Information & Operations Officer for HomeStreet Bank, where he led deposit, loan, and treasury management operations, IT, corporate real estate, and security. His career experience includes additional banking and operational roles at the FDIC, Pierce Commercial Bank, CGI Group, and Deloitte Consulting. He received a B.S. in finance and accounting management from Northeastern University. Mr. Harper will work closely with Ms. Skinner until her retirement at year-end to ensure a seamless transition. “As we continue to expand our organization, it’s important that we add highly accomplished, talented, and experienced people to our executive leadership team. Troy brings a depth and breadth of operations and IT experience to the Company that will enrich the management team, while enabling us to execute successfully on our objectives in 2025 and beyond,” stated Mr. Steinwert. About Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, trades on the OTCQX under the symbol FMCB, and is the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, also known as F&M Bank. Founded in 1916, F&M Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank, which proudly serves California through 33 convenient locations. F&M Bank is financially strong, with $5.4 billion in assets, and is consistently recognized as one of the nation's safest banks by national bank rating firms. The Bank has maintained a 5-Star rating from BauerFinancial for 34 consecutive years, longer than any other commercial bank in the State of California. Farmers & Merchants Bancorp has paid dividends for 89 consecutive years and has increased dividends for 59 consecutive years. As a result, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp is a member of a select group of only 56 publicly traded companies referred to as “Dividend Kings,” and is ranked 17 th in that group based on consecutive years of dividend increases. A “Dividend King” is a stock with 50 or more consecutive years of dividend increase. In August 2024, Farmers & Merchants Bancorp was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #2 best performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2023. Last year the Bank was named by Bank Director’s Magazine as the #1 best performing bank in the nation across all asset categories in their annual “Ranking Banking” study of the top performing banks for 2022. In April 2024, F&M Bank was ranked 6 th on Forbes Magazine’s list of "America’s Best Banks" in 2023. Forbes’ annual “America’s Best Banks” list looks at ten metrics measuring growth, credit quality, profitability, and capital for the 2023 calendar year, as well as stock performance in the 12 months through March 18, 2024. In December 2023, F&M Bank was ranked 4 th on S&P Global Market Intelligence's “Top 50 List of Best-Performing Community Banks” in the US with assets between $3.0 billion and $10.0 billion for 2023. S&P Global Market Intelligence ranks financial institutions based on several key factors including financial returns, growth, and balance sheet risk profile. In October 2021, F&M Bank was named the “Best Community Bank in California” by Newsweek magazine. Newsweek’s ranking recognizes those financial institutions that best serve their customers’ needs in each state. This recognition speaks to the superior customer service the F&M Bank team members provide to its clients. F&M Bank is the 15 th largest bank lender to agriculture in the United States. F&M Bank operates in the mid-Central Valley of California, including Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus, and Merced counties and the east region of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Napa, Alameda and Contra Costa counties. F&M Bank was inducted into the National Agriculture Science Center’s “Ag Hall of Fame” at the end of 2021 for providing resources, financial advice, guidance, and support to the agribusiness communities as well as to students in the next generation of agribusiness workforce. F&M Bank is dedicated to helping California remain the premier agricultural region in the world and will continue to work with the next generation of farmers, ranchers, and processors. F&M Bank remains committed to servicing the needs of agribusiness in California as has been the case since its founding over 108 years ago. F&M Bank offers a full complement of loan, deposit, equipment leasing and treasury management products to businesses, as well as a full suite of consumer banking products. The FDIC awarded F&M Bank the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" in their last Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) evaluation. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements that are based on management's current expectations regarding the Company’s financial performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They often include the words “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “estimate” or words of similar meaning, or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “would,” “should,” “could” or “may.” Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, statements regarding management team changes and their anticipated impact on the Company, and the Company’s expansion and its ability to execute on strategic objectives. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of our control, and which could cause future events or results to be materially different from those stated or implied in this document. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to the risk factors and other important factors detailed in the Company’s Form 10-K, Form 10-Qs, and various other securities law filings made periodically by the Company, copies of which are available from the Company’s website. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. For more information about Farmers & Merchants Bancorp and F&M Bank, visit fmbonline.com. Investor Relations Contact Farmers & Merchants Bancorp Bart R. Olson Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Phone: 209-367-2485 bolson@fmbonline.com

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FEATURED: Three agripreneurs women win prestigious ‘Agroecological Food Futures’ prizePremier League football returned this weekend after the final international window of 2024 and it wasn't without VAR drama. Manchester United secured a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich Town on Sunday evening in Ruben Amorim 's first game in charge of the club. Marcus Rashford opened the scoring inside the opening few minutes, but his strike was cancelled out by an outstanding goal from Omari Hutchinson before half time. While there wasn't any majorly controversial referee or VAR decisions during the game, the Premier League Match Centre was forced to make a statement before the break confirming the technology had been disabled for a freak reason. Anthony Taylor pulled the two captains aside to inform them VAR wasn't operational due to a fire alarm sounding at Stockley Park. READ MORE: Manchester United player ratings as Andre Onana good but three get 4/10 vs Ipswich Town READ MORE: Ruben Amorim's gestures show what Manchester United players must improve after Ipswich draw That was then followed by confirmation on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), as it was revealed the match would be operating without VAR until further notice. Fortunately, the half time whistle blew shortly after and there were no incidents that required VAR's intervention. United, though, were left frustrated they had their early lead slip after such a promising start. Before the second half kicked off at Portman Road, the Premier League released a second statement confirming VAR was back up and running after the incident. The entirety of the second 45 minutes was played with the technology in use, but neither side found a much-needed winner. United remain 12th in the league standings after 12 games, and sit 15 points behind leaders Liverpool . They are seven behind Manchester City , and six behind Arsenal as things stand. Amorim will hope his side can secure the first win of his tenure when they face Norwegian side FK Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League midweek. Next weekend, they host Everton at Old Trafford in the league. Try MUFC Pro NOW for free Subscribe to our brilliant app for the best way to enjoy the M.E.N's unrivalled Manchester United coverage. No adverts, pop-ups or distractions - just our brilliant content presented in the best way possible. Comprehensive, round-the-clock coverage of the Reds, with agenda-setting breaking news and insight from Samuel Luckhurst and our authoritative team of United writers Exclusive content for subscribers New interactive elements including (coming soon) quizzes to test your United knowledge. Try MUFC Pro for a front-row seat to the action at absolutely no cost for the first month. You can get started by downloading our app here on iPhone , or here on Android . If you a lready have our app, click on the ''MUFC Pro',' Subscribe' or ' Remove ads' links. *Free trial auto renews at £19.99 annually unless cancelled. T&C’s apply. Ad-free indicates that you will not be shown standard display ad formats with the articles that you read, selected articles may contain commercial messages/affiliate links where contractually required.Radian Group CEO sells $699,156 in stock