For the overwhelming majority of people who are not in the business, Art with a capital A appears to have a mystical component to it. Some can even wonder why, after all, is the Mona Lisa so famous, and why do people care so much about a simple portrait of a woman with an enigmatic smile? Others can ask themselves why certain works of art, which seem quite simple at first glance, sell at such high prices?
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In Korea, an artist held an art exhibition which showcased a piece of art estimated at $120,000. So, what exactly was the piece of art, worth so much money? Well, it was a simple banana taped to the wall. A visitor saw the piece of art (and food) and could not resist his urge to eat it. The banana was simply too appetizing and did not last past lunchtime.
That banana was worth a fortune
This 'cultural rampage' took place at the Leuum Museum of Art in Seoul. The work in question was named The Comedian by its creator, the artist Maurizio Cattelan. Many people wondered what could be the significance of a banana taped to the wall, and the artist said anyone can see what they want in the work of art, it is free for interpretation. But Noh Huyn-soo, a student who had the misfortune of skipping breakfast, didn't care about the artistic significance of the piece when he saw this perfectly ripe fruit.
As he was hungry, this young man untaped the banana from the wall, peeled it and ate it before taping it back onto the wall. And this all took place in public. Interviewed by the local TV channel KBS, Noh Huyn-soo justified his actions by saying: 'damaging a modern work of art can also be [interpreted as] art.'
Read more:Man makes shocking discovery after buying bananas from Tesco: 'I was completely stunned'
Will he have to pay $120,000 to the museum?
So the question arises: what happens when a work of art on display in a museum is damaged? In many circumstances, this kind of incident would have caused the visitor's bankruptcy. However, in this case, there will not be any consequences whatsoever. According to the Guardian, Maurizio Cattelan allegedly sees 'no problem' with what happened to his work.
In any case, the banana on display is replaced every two or three days to prevent it from rotting. In 2019, the banana had already been eaten by another artist, somewhat shocked by the indecent value of Maurizio Catellan's works. David Datuna ate the banana in 2019, and said:
Millions are dying without food. Then he puts three bananas on the wall for half a million dollars?
Read more:Overripe bananas? Don't throw them away, try these recipes instead
This article has been translated from Gentside FR.
Sources used:
Guardian: Banana drama: ‘hungry’ South Korean student eats $120,000 artwork
