A banana duct-taped to a wall that sold last week for $120,000 was eaten on Saturday by a hungry performance artist at a showing in Miami, The Guardian reported.
Titled “Comedian,” the piece by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan – described as a “symbol of global trade, double entendre, as well as a classic device for humour” – was showing at the international gallery at Art Basel in Miami.
Stating that he was hungry, New York performance artist David Datuna took the banana off the wall and ate it, according to video of the incident.

The purchaser of the artwork may no longer have the original banana, which would have eventually rotted anyway, but the piece comes with a certificate of authenticity allowing for the banana to be replaced.
“[Datuna] did not destroy the art work. The banana is the idea,” Lucien Terras, a director at the gallery, told the Miami Herald.

Minutes later, a new banana was duct-taped to the wall by the gallery.
Cattelan purchased the original banana at a fruit market. The artist is known for satirical pieces, notable a functional 18-carat gold toilet entitled “America” that was installed at the Guggenheim.