“Hungry” artist eats banana art installation bought for $120,000

One artist definitely got his fill after eating an art installation purchased last week for a hefty price tag of $120,000. The art piece featured a banana left to ripen and eventually rot while duct-taped to a wall. According to The Guardian, it was described as a “symbol of global trade.”

The piece was a product of artist Maurizio Cattelan who hails from Italy. Titled “Comedian,” it was displayed at the Perrotin at Art Basel — a global art gallery based in Miami. While on display last Saturday, performance artist David Datuna stunned art enthusiasts after he ate the banana to ease his hunger.

Emmanuel Perrotin, the gallery’s founder addressed the stunt in a statement he made early this week. “Maurizio’s work is not just about objects, but about how objects move through the world,” Perrotin stated as per The Guardian.

It’s easy to imagine how devastated the art work’s buyer was after the stint but all isn’t lost. Aside from the fact that there’s no stopping the banana’s eventual demise, the art piece comes with a certificate of authenticity. Its owners are allowed to replace the banana.

The Miami Herald reports that the gallery’s director Lucien Terras defended Datuna saying:

“[Datuna] did not destroy the artwork. The banana is the idea.” With that being said, it wasn’t long after a fresh banana was affixed by Perrotin just minutes after the original one was consumed.

Cattelan is known for a more ludicrous piece that also made headlines in the past. He is known for creating an 18-carat gold toilet which he called “America.”

Danny Manly
Danny Manly
Danny is a reporter and news columnist for Best in Australia. He covers world news the latest world news headlines and international news including US News and Europe, Middle East News.
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