La banana di Cattelan è stata rubata di nuovo. Trafugata (o mangiata?) da un visitatore al Pompidou di Metz
Maurizio Cattelan's banana artwork, "Comedian" (2019), was stolen—or possibly eaten—again on May 30, 2025, at the Centre Pompidou in Metz, France. The museum filed a police report against an unidentified visitor who removed the fruit from the wall during the exhibition "Dimanche sans fin," which marks the institution's 15th anniversary and features Cattelan as both artist and curator. The banana was promptly replaced, as per the work's display protocol.
The incident matters because it underscores the conceptual nature of Cattelan's piece, whose value resides not in the perishable fruit but in its certificate of authenticity and the strict protocol governing its presentation. Each theft or consumption—from David Datuna's 2019 Art Basel performance to a 2023 Seoul incident and a 2025 Serralves episode—reinforces the artwork's fame and its commentary on art's value, audience interaction, and the line between vandalism and performance. The museum's decision to press charges highlights the tension between protecting the work and embracing the very public engagement that defines it.