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Student eats artwork of a banana duct-taped to a museum wall because ‘he was hungry’
A ripe banana artwork called Comedian by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan was placed for exhibition at Seoul`s Leeum Museum of Art, but a hungry South Korean student couldn’t keep his hands or rather his mouth away from the fruit.
The “famous” artwork—a banana affixed to a wall with duct tape was eaten last week by Noh Huyn-so from Seoul National University, who removed the banana, ate it and then taped the peel to the wall of the Museum.
According to local media reports, the incident, which lasted more than a minute, was recorded by Noh’s friend. The video posted online purportedly shows Noh taking the banana off the wall as shouts of “excuse me” can be heard. He does not respond and starts eating as the room goes quiet.
After he was caught red-handed by security at the museum, the student told them that he was starving as he missed his breakfast.
The museum later placed a new banana at the same spot, reported local media. The banana is reportedly replaced every two or three days.
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The museum said it will not press any charges against the student.
Speaking to local media later, the student said that Cattelan’s work signifies rebellion against a certain authority.
“There could be another rebellion against the rebellion,” the Seoul National University student told KBS.
“Damaging an artwork could also be seen as an artwork, I thought that would be interesting… Isn’t it taped there to be eaten?”
This is not the first time that the bananas used for Cattelan’s art have been eaten by a visitor.
In 2019, performance artist David Datuna pulled the banana from the wall after the artwork was sold for $120,000 (£91,000) at Art Basel in Miami.
The banana was swiftly replaced and no further action was taken.
Watch the video below…
Museo de Seúl. Un estudiante destroza la obra de arte, de incalculable valor (2,79€/Kg +/-), llamada “Comediante” del artista italiano Maurizio Cattelan. (Que consistía en un plátano pegado a una pared) pic.twitter.com/tJWtlO7r9R
— No Habrá Paz † (@_SantosTrinidad) May 1, 2023
