This archive report was first published on 9 December 2019.
On December 9, 2019, a Miami art show witnessed a bizarre incident when a performance artist ate a banana artwork worth Ksh.12 million. The artwork, titled 'Comedian,' was created by Maurizio Cattelan and consisted of a banana bound with a piece of duct tape.
The banana artwork was sold for $120,000 (Ksh.12.2 million) at the Art Basel, with two other editions already sold for the same price. The organizers initially stated that the banana could be replaced if needed but later removed the installation altogether due to public safety concerns.
According to the gallery, the installation caused several uncontrollable crowd movements, compromising the safety of the artwork and its neighbors. The artist behind the stunt, David Datuna, wrote on Instagram, 'I really love this installation. It’s very delicious.'
Emmanuel Perrotin, the founder of the gallery, previously described bananas as a 'symbol of global trade, a double entendre, as well as a classic device for humor.'
