Imagine paying millions for a piece of art and then seeing someone casually munch on it! That’s exactly what happened with Maurizio Cattelan’s banana artwork, aptly named “Comedian.” On July 12, a museum visitor at the Centre-Pompidou Metz in eastern France took the concept of ‘interactive art’ to a whole new level by eating the banana taped to the wall!

The museum confirmed the shocking incident in a statement, explaining how their security team acted swiftly and calmly to manage the unexpected situation. But don’t worry, the banana was swiftly replaced — as per Cattelan's ongoing instructions, this is a regular part of the artwork's maintenance!

The gallery revealed that they were disappointed the visitor mistook the banana for the artwork itself, suggesting they could have enjoyed the tape and perhaps the peel instead. A classic case of ‘art appreciation gone rogue!’ And while they didn’t file a police report, it’s clear the incident reignited discussions about the nature of art and its value.

“Comedian” isn’t just a banana; it’s a commentary on the absurdity of financial speculation within the art market. This isn’t the first time Cattelan’s piece has made headlines. Back in 2019, performance artist David Datuna made waves at the Art Basel Miami fair when he peeled and devoured the banana in front of shocked attendees. That moment went viral, and the work was sold for a staggering $120,000 with a replacement banana!

The banana saga continued in 2023 when an art student in Seoul also took a bite out of the artwork. Fast forward to November 2024, and the piece was auctioned to cryptocurrency mogul Justin Sun for a jaw-dropping $6.24 million before he too decided to eat the banana! Talk about a recurring theme!

The Centre-Pompidou Metz humorously noted that this banana may indeed be the ‘most-eaten’ artwork of the last 30 years. So, what’s next? Will we see a trend of edible art in galleries worldwide? One thing’s for sure: this banana has created a buzz in the art world like no other!