A visitor to the Pompidou‑Metz museum in eastern France caused a stir last weekend after taking a bite from Comedian, the provocative artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan that features a banana duct‑taped to a wall and carries a valuation of approximately US $6.2 million.

Museum spokespersons confirmed that security staff “rapidly and calmly intervened,” and the artwork was reinstalled within minutes. Under Cattelan’s display instructions, the perishable banana is regularly replaced.

Cattelan responded with trademark humour, lamenting that the visitor had “confused the fruit for the work of art” and regretted that they didn’t also ingest the peel and tape.

The edible installation sparked global controversy when it debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 with a US $120,000 price tag. Previous incidents include a performance artist eating one version at the fair, and cryptocurrency mogul Justin Sun reportedly taking a bite after purchasing his edition for US $6.2 million in Hong Kong last November.

Despite its recurring public feasting, Comedian remains a fixture on the museum’s “Dimanche sans fin” (Endless Sunday) exhibition, which marks Pompidou‑Metz’s 15th anniversary through February 2027.  France 24