Art thieves in France have split with an arty banana worth $6.2 million. Security noticed the pricey fruit was missing from its usual duct-tape mount this week, leaving behind nothing but an empty patch of gallery wall.
A press release from the Centre Pompidou-Metz Museum in Metz, France, revealed that the perishable element of the valuable art installation, named Comedian, had gone missing. All that was left behind was the ragged piece of tape, while the banana itself was nowhere to be found.
The gallery has treated the act as theft, despite the fact that it is the mark of authenticity that gives Comedian its value rather than the squishy fruit. The release from the gallery, accompanied by pictures of the missing fruit, stated that “The disappearance of the banana, which constitutes the perishable element of the artwork, was noticed by a museum security guard.”
They go on to state that the relevant authorities have already been notified, although it’s likely the tropical art piece is already compost. Either way, as the gallery points out, the theft has denied hopeful fruit critics the opportunity to marvel at the work of easily digested art.
Not The First Time Someone Has Slipped Off With The Banana Skin
The work of art, titled Comedian, has been the subject of numerous vandalisms, thefts, and defacements. By its very nature, the perishable work destroys itself within only a few days. The $6.2 million piece has to be replaced once every three days to prevent it from becoming a sticky mess held to the wall with tape.
The value of Comedian comes from its mark of authenticity rather than the individual elements themselves. However, there have been numerous opportunities for rather wild banana-related art attacks.
In 2019, performance artist David Datuna took the banana from the wall and ate it, stating that he was “hungry.” Again, while on display in South Korea, a student who claims they skipped breakfast also took the healthy snack from the wall, treating themselves to a $6.2 million mouthful. In fact, the very person who bought the banana for that ungodly sum, giving it its current valuation, ate it on camera just after its purchase at Sotheby’s.
The theft of the multi-million-dollar banana caused quite a stir. But, as the gallery’s press release stated, the perishable element of the installation has already been replaced. Whoever it is that made off with the easily digested art will be left with little more than a pocket full of worthless mush.
Police say that they are looking for a team of short, hairy men, last seen leaving the city zoo.