Man explains why he ate banana art exhibit

NEW YORK - Performance artist David Datuna said he was hungry when he grabbed a banana in an art exhibit titled 'Hungry Artist' in Miami and ate it.

The banana had already sold for $120,000.

Video of Datuna eating the banana, giving a new meaning to the term "starving artist," has gone viral.

"Delicious," said Datuna during FOX 5 NY morning program, Good Day New York. "It tasted like a regular banana."

The banana at Art Basel on Saturday was brown and aging when the Georgian-born New York City based artist walked up, pulled it down, peeled it and ate it.

Datuna was escorted by security to a private room, though he said he was not arrested.

"We had a couple hundred people around," said Datuna. "Fifty percent said 'don't do it. It's crazy. Another 50 percent said 'please, do it. It's cool.' "

The work of art was created by Maurizio Cattelan.

It's not clear how Cattelan feels about the "performance art."

"It's just an art installation. I'm an artist," said Datuna.

The banana exhibit had been purchased by an art collector in France.