Overview

• A visitor at Centre Pompidou-Metz removed and ate the banana from Maurizio Cattelan’s 'Comedian', valued at approximately €6.2 million.
• Staff swiftly replaced the fruit under the artwork’s protocol of renewing the banana every 7 to 10 days; no charges were filed.
• Cattelan responded with irony, saying the visitor "confused the fruit with the artwork"; he joked they should have eaten the peel and tape for full effect.
• 'Comedian' relies on a fungible banana and a signed certificate of authenticity to challenge how value is assigned in the art world.
• Previous consumption acts in Miami, Seoul and Hong Kong have reinforced the piece’s commentary on institutional critique and audience participation.