‘I Was Hungry’: Student Eats $120,000 Banana Art
Described as ‘not having eaten breakfast’ before entering the museum, South Korean student Noh Hyun-soo did the unthinkable: eating a $120,000 art installation. In this case, though, the piece was not only edible, but was a banana duct-taped to a wall.
Part of Maurizio Cattelan’s art installation ‘WE,’ the wall art — referred to as ‘Comedian’ — was sold to Seoul’s Leeum Museum. Known for his satirical works, Cattelan’s creations are often conceptual, challenging popular culture and provoking debate about art. In the case of ‘Comedian,’ while not only selling for $120,000, the art piece included specific instructions for the exhibition. 14 pages long, requirements included specifications regarding the size, the shape, the color of the banana. Included in the requirements was the 3-day replacement policy for the bananas. While it was supposed to be replaced a day later Hyun-soo had other plans.
On April 27, Hyun-soo, dressed in a suit, entered the exhibition around 1 pm. He then proceeded to take, peel, eat, and reattach the installation to the wall. Sparking widespread debate throughout the art world, many speculated about Hyun-soo’s intentions behind his defacement of ‘Comedian.’
While originally claiming that he was hungry, in a recent interview with the Guardian, Hyun-soo gave a more nuanced explanation for his hijinks.
With only a few visitors in the area, Hyun-soo approached the banana. With no alarm, “there was nothing stopping me when I pulled off the tape to remove the banana from the wall and peeled it. After I finished, I placed the banana skin under the tape on the wall. Then, a guard said, ‘excuse me,’ but didn’t try to restrain me in any way. I talked to the guards. They looked embarrassed,” Hyun-soo described.
In response to the fanfare surrounding the controversy, Hyun-soo played down the act. “People who know me don’t think it’s a big deal that I ate the banana. I’ve done some strange things, so they’re pretty much immune to anything I do now.” Ultimately, for Hyun-soo, it was done for “no special reason.”
Hyun-soo concluded the interview with his overview on the past few months. “It was reported in the press that my banana eating was an act of rebellion or that I was hungry. I think it’s up to the public to decide on that. Some people see my banana eating as simply vandalism. Others say it was done for publicity – and I agree. The act of damaging someone else’s artwork has made me famous. I was an ordinary person, and now thanks to the ‘comedy’ of eating a banana, I’m in the Guardian. I’m not familiar with Cattelan’s work, other than the banana. I think Comedian can be considered a work of art, apart from the ridiculous price. But there will be different opinions. I’ve never met him, so I don’t really know what he thought of my eating the banana, but I read an article in which his response was ‘no problem at all.'”
Cover image via The Guardian