Poland's artists and opposition politicians are posting photos of themselves eating bananas in protest after the country's authorities called an artwork featuring the fruit obscene and removed it from a top national gallery.

The 1973 video “Consumer Art,” by prominent artist Natalia LL, showing a young woman eating a banana with great pleasure, was removed from the National Museum in Warsaw last week after the new museum head, Jerzy Miziolek, was summoned to the Ministry of Culture.

Mr Miziolek said in an interview with the Onet.pl portal last week that he was “opposed to showing works that could irritate sensitive young people” and suggested some visitors had complained. The work had been in the gallery for many years.

A separate video by another controversial female artist was also removed.

On Monday, Mr Miziolek announced that the works would be reinstated, but only until May 6 when the whole modern art gallery is due for reorganization. He denied pressure from the ministry.