Eat banana or not?

I love these stories which reveal the excesses of art. Nevertheless, but which also testify to its primary role, that of provoking reactions of all kinds.

The scene took place on July 12 at the Center Pompidou-Metz, in France. Furthermore, The work Comedianof the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was exhibited as part of the exhibition Endless Sunday.

This work. For example, assessed at several million dollars, is in fact a (real) banana stuck to the wall thanks to an adhesive tape commonly called in Quebec “Duck Tape”.

While visitors wandered through the exhibition eat banana not? halls. Therefore, a man approached the famous banana, torn him out of the wall, peeled and ate it.

The security team quickly intervened and another banana was installed. However, Indeed, as it is a perishable object, the work must be regularly replaced.

Like the meat dress by Canadian artist Jana Sterbak, Maurizio Cattelan’s banana is entitled to repeated resurrections. In addition, What a good life!

What does Maurizio Cattelan say the treatment reserved for eat banana not? his banana? However, It is disappointed that the visitor has only eaten the fruit. Meanwhile, He would have liked him to swallow the peel. Furthermore, the adhesive ribbon, because it all is part of the work.

This is the fourth time that this work. For example, which appeared in 2019 at the Miami Art Basel Contemporary Art Fair, has been swallowed by someone.

The performer David Datuna was the first to eat banana (originally pulled in three copies). It was then estimated at $ 120,000. Filmed by phones. the artist at the same time signed a performance entitled Hungry Artists (“Artists who are hungry”) to denounce the fate reserved for creators.

Then. in 2023, the banana was devoured to the Leeum Museum Art of Seoul by a student who, probably inhabited by the lyrics of eat banana not? Katerine’s song, “No, but let me eat my banana! “Said he was hungry.

Finally, last November, Justin Sun, a rich Chinese entrepreneur, bought the work for the sum of 6.2 million US dollars at Sotheby’s, in New York. The collector then eaten it in a Hong Kong hotel in front of the media.

This conception of ephemeral art is reminiscent of the canvas Love is in the. trash (Love is in the Bin) of Banksy. After being sold at auction for 31.3 million US dollars, it was destroyed by a shredder.

Maurizio Cattelan is also known for having achieved Americaa (functional) toilet in 18 carat gold which highlights excess linked to wealth. As for her banana. it aims to arouse a reflection on the notion of work of art which, according to him, is more eat banana not? in the idea than in the work itself.

In recent years. several works of art have been the target of activists who, to draw attention to a cause, have committed gestures of vandalism. In this case, we attack a work which itself has a critical role.

What is fascinating in all of this is that those who eat bananas are an integral part of the work. They help enrich his myth and renown. They give him a fleeting character eat banana not? (false).

Because basically, behind this appearance of the ephemeral hides eternity. By eating bananas, we do not really destroy the existence of the work. Dole and Chiquita will always be able to provide bananas with museums and art galleries.

Since this event at the Center Pompidou-Metz, the debate on what constitutes art and what is not relaunched. Can a banana be paid for a few hundred to the grocery store also worth $ 6 million?

Yes, absolutely.

The following question is more difficult: how many people with hollow belly could we feed with $ 6 million in bananas?

This aspect was raised during the auction organized by Sotheby’s, in 2024. New York Times wondered where the prestigious sales room was learned in bananas during the exhibition eat banana not? of the work.

We discovered that it was with a certain Shah Alam. a merchant from Bangladesh who has a kiosk in the Upper East Side. When the journalist told him that one of his bananas. bought for 35 cents, had been sold for $ 6 million, the 74 -year -old began to cry.

I know you like happy ends. I therefore add that the billionaire who acquired banana (the work) hastened to write on X that he was going to buy 100. 000 bananas from Mr. Alam and that they were going to be distributed for free.

It looks like an artistic performance in an artistic performance in an artistic performance …

The apple season is fast approaching. I say that like that!