“Hungry” South Korean Student Eats $120,000 Banana Art
History is full of strange and funny incidents from around the world. Some are downright hilarious, while others leave you scratching your head in disbelief. Take, for example, the time an art student decided to munch on a $120,000 banana artwork by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Yes, you read that right—a banana! Who knew art could be so… deliciously bizarre?
Noh Huyn-soo, an art student from Seoul National University, definitely made headlines with his unusual snack choice! While visiting the Leeum Museum of Art, he spotted a banana duct-taped to the wall—part of a famous artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan that has captured the attention of art lovers worldwide.
In a surprising twist, Noh decided to unpeel and eat the banana right in front of a crowd of stunned onlookers. After enjoying his fruity snack, he casually reattached the banana peel to the wall with the same tape and walked off with a satisfied grin. It’s safe to say he turned a day at the museum into a memorable (and bizarre) moment!
When the museum asked Noh why he decided to eat the banana, he simply said he was hungry after skipping breakfast. According to a South Korean media outlet, he thought that damaging a piece of modern art could also be seen as a form of art itself. Plus, he jokingly came up with the idea of reattaching the peel.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time this has happened. The banana is part of Cattelan’s “Comedian” installation and gets replaced every couple of days. Back during its debut at the Miami Art Basel in 2019, another banana from the artwork was also snatched and eaten by performance artist David Datuna. It seems this fruity art piece has a history of disappearing!
similar Art Mishaps Around the World
Last year, a similar mishap occurred at a gallery in South Korea when a couple mistakenly thought the brushes and paint in front of a graffiti artwork were for visitors to use.
The untitled piece, created by US graffiti artist JonOne during a live performance in 2016, was valued at around $500,000. Since then, it has been displayed at various venues, complete with the paint and brushes used in the performance, which are considered essential to the artwork.
What do you think about these two incidents? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
