a day ago
After an art heist hit a New Hampshire town, ‘the banana is back'
Franconia Police Chief Martin 'Mac' Cashin said in a video accompanying the social media post that he had confirmed the banana was the original artwork and not a duplicate banana.
'I would like to very much thank whoever returned it for doing so,' he said. 'It was the right thing to do.'
In the original banana's absence, other bananas were affixed to the large steel fishing-rod, which was part of the original artwork. Cashin said those additions would remain on display, alongside a game camera, padlocks, and zip ties contributed by the police department to ensure the sculpture remains intact.
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'Enjoy your artwork, Franconia,' he said.
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The piece was made by Massachusetts-based sculptor and art educator
'It's been the funniest outcome of any of my art ever,' Belenky said. 'I'm absolutely obsessed.'
He said the police department is now planning to put it on a float for a town celebration on July 12.
The banana was missing for about two weeks from late May into June. The artwork, entitled 'Elevated Fruit,' was installed on the front lawn of a local restaurant as part of the
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The foam-and-fiberglass banana was only on display for four days before it first went missing, prompting community members to rally around the artwork, asking whoever had taken it to please bring it back.
Someone apparently heeded their cry.
Kathie Lovett, co-chair of the Franconia Artwalk, said one morning in June, the banana had been restored.
During its hiatus, people had put up real bananas and inflatable bananas, Lovett said, in addition to a wooden banana her friend carved with a chainsaw. Lovett said she took the banana lookalikes down after a few days.
She said everyone she spoke to was happy the banana was back.
'It felt like the banana crisis was sort of calming down,' she said.
'We said that we loved it, and somebody brought it back,' she said.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at
