Artist Maurizio Cattelan: Banana worth $ 6 million

Fast reaction of the security forces

The employees of the security department acted quickly and calmly, according to the internal processes of the museum. A short time later, the artwork was reinstalled, because the banana is only a "spoiled element" that is regularly exchanged according to the instructions of Cattelan.

misunderstanding of the visitor

The museum expressed that the artist was disappointed because the visitor only considered the fruit as a work of art instead of also eating the bowl and the adhesive tape that the work of art held on the wall.

reactions and history

The museum has not submitted a police report. "Comedian" is intended to demonstrate the "absurdity of financial speculation and the fragility of the knowledge systems that support the art market". This is not the first time that the work of art has been eaten. In 2019, Cattelan presented "Comedian" on Art Basel Miami, where performance artist David Datuna took the banana off the wall, peeled it and ate hundreds of stunned visitors. This event was sold to one of the most viral moments of the art world and the work-including an exchange banana-for $ 120,000.

repeated Eatin history

In 2023, a art student took the banana from a wall in the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea, and also ate it. In addition, Justin Sun, a Chinese collector and founder of a cryptocurrency platform, acquired "Comedian" in November 2024 for $ 6.24 million at an auction - before he simply consumed the banana.

a new chapter in art history

"For the moment it may be the‘ most eaten ’work of art from the past 30 years," said the Center-Pompidou Metz in its message. Cattelan's provocative work continues to appeal to the debates about the art market and its values.