Mishap

Cattelan Banana too Tempting for Hungy Student

When lunch became performance art

Incident ReportCOA / MISHAPS

Accidental Damage Rating

Repair Cost: ~$0.30 (new banana)
Curator's Blood Pressure: 68%
Embarrassment Level: 5/10
Recovered?: Replaced
Selfie Involved?: Constant

Days after Maurizio Cattelan's 'Comedian' — a banana duct-taped to a wall — debuted, performance artist David Datuna peeled it off and ate it in front of stunned visitors.

Cattelan's 'Comedian' has generated more headlines than many Old Masters. Only days into its Art Basel debut, Datuna calmly approached, freed the banana from its tape and ate it, calling the act 'Hungry Artist' and insisting it was performance, not vandalism.

Gallery staff simply taped up a new banana. After all, the artwork is the certificate of authenticity, not the fruit — making 'Comedian' perhaps the only famous artwork whose restoration instructions include a trip to the grocery store.

#intentional #conceptual #eaten #cattelan