“Hungry,” Seoul National University Student Eats Banana Artwork Worth 150 Million Won

A visitor ate a banana attached to the wall as part of a contemporary art piece. The artwork was priced at $120,000 (approximately 150 million KRW).

According to the Leeum Museum of Art, on the afternoon of the 27th, a man removed and ate the banana from "Comedian," exhibited in Maurizio Cattelan's solo exhibition "WE." Cattelan is an Italian sculptor and performance artist known for his unique perspective and ironic humor, often satirizing the establishment and considered one of the most controversial contemporary artists.

Maurizio Cattelan's 'Comedian'
[Image source: Provided by Leeum Museum of Art]

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"Comedian" was first introduced at Art Basel Miami in December 2019. Cattelan bought a banana for 30 cents at a nearby store and attached it to a white wall with tape for display. The banana was replaced with a fresh one every 2 to 3 days. The piece became famous after a performance artist used the act of removing and eating the banana as a performance.

The man who ate the banana this time is Mr. Nomo, a student in the Department of Aesthetics at Seoul National University. He stated, "I was hungry because I skipped breakfast."

In a phone interview with a broadcasting station, he said, "In contemporary art, damaging a piece can also be considered part of the artwork in a way," and added, "It seemed fun, so I playfully put the peel back on and left."

The Leeum Museum of Art did not seek any compensation from the man. It is reported that a new banana was reattached. Similarly, Art Basel in 2019 replaced the banana with a new one without claiming damages.

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