Maurizio Cattelan's $6.2M banana artwork stolen from French museum
What's the story
A banana that formed the centerpiece of Maurizio Cattelan's $6.2 million artwork Comedian has been stolen from a museum in France. The theft was reported by the Pompidou-Metz museum on May 31 after a security guard noticed the fruit missing on May 30. This incident has led to a police complaint and raised questions about the provocative installation's security measures.
Legal action
Museum files police complaint for theft
The Pompidou-Metz museum, an extension of Paris's Centre Pompidou, has filed a police complaint against unknown persons for theft. The banana was replaced shortly after the incident, as it is usually changed every three days because of its perishable nature. However, this time the museum decided to escalate the matter due to the anonymity of the perpetrator and lack of engagement scope.
Past incidents
'Comedian' previously faced similar incident in 2025
This isn't the first time Comedian has been tampered with. In July 2025, a visitor removed the banana from the display and ate it before security personnel intervened and replaced it. No legal action was taken over the incident. The museum has now flagged this incident as a repeat offense and an issue of respect for the artwork.
Artwork details
'Comedian's journey from art to viral sensation
Cattelan's Comedian, which debuted at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 with a reported price tag of $1,20,000, has long fueled debate about the nature of art and what determines its value. Its structure is simple: a real banana taped to a wall. However, its market value has increased significantly over the years. In 2024, crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun bought one version of this artwork for $5.2 million and later ate the banana in a widely publicized act.
Artist's response
Artist's reaction to previous 'Comedian' controversy and other works
Cattelan has previously reacted to the controversy surrounding Comedian. Following the 2025 incident at Pompidou-Metz, Cattelan reportedly joked that he was disappointed the visitor ate only the banana and left the tape behind. The artist is known for other headline-grabbing works like America, an 18-carat gold toilet stolen during a UK exhibition in 2020. A British court found two men guilty in this case in March, but the stolen gold was never recovered.