$5 Million Banana Stolen Again!

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Metz, France: A banana forming part of Maurizio Cattelan’s famous conceptual artwork Comedian has been stolen from a museum in eastern France, leading authorities to launch a criminal investigation into the incident.

The fruit, which was taped to a wall as part of the artwork, disappeared from the exhibition at the Pompidou-Metz museum. Museum officials confirmed that a complaint had been filed against unknown individuals following the theft.

Despite the incident, the artwork remains on display after staff quickly replaced the missing banana. The fruit is considered a replaceable element of the installation, and substitutions are built into the work's concept.

The theft adds another chapter to the unusual history of Comedian, one of the contemporary art world's most talked-about creations. 

The piece has been repeatedly eaten or removed since its 2019 debut, including by visitors and performance artists.In 2024, crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun bought an edition of the artwork for $5.2 million and later ate the banana himself.

Museum officials did not provide details about any suspects but said the investigation is ongoing.