Justin Sun, a prominent cryptocurrency entrepreneur, fulfilled a quirky yet symbolic promise tied to his recent $6.2 million (£4.88 million) purchase of a conceptual art piece titled Comedian.
The artwork, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, features a banana duct-taped to a wall. To add his personal touch to the piece’s story, Sun ate the banana during a press conference at Hong Kong’s luxurious Peninsula Hotel.
The 34-year-old blockchain pioneer described the banana as “iconic” and drew comparisons between conceptual art and cryptocurrency, highlighting their shared reliance on intellectual property and intangible value. “It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun remarked after his first bite, praising its taste in front of an audience of journalists and influencers.
Sun acquired the controversial artwork at a Sotheby’s auction in New York after outbidding six others. Reflecting on the moment he won, Sun shared that he initially felt disbelief, quickly followed by the realization that eating the banana could become an integral part of the artwork’s evolving narrative. “Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork’s history,” he explained.
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The edible artwork debuted at the 2019 Art Basel show in Miami Beach, where it sparked global debates over the definition of art.
Sun likened the piece to NFT (non-fungible token) art and blockchain technology, stating, “Most of its objects and ideas exist as intellectual property and on the internet, as opposed to something physical.”
The banana, which was originally purchased for less than a dollar from a Manhattan fruit stall, added a layer of poignancy to the story. Shah Alam, the 74-year-old fruit vendor who sold the banana, was moved to tears upon learning it had been transformed into a multi-million-dollar artwork. “I am a poor man,” Alam told the New York Times. “I have never had this kind of money.”
In response, Sun pledged to purchase 100,000 bananas from Alam’s stall and distribute them worldwide to celebrate “the beautiful connection between everyday life and art.” He also expressed his intention to visit Alam in person someday.
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As the artwork’s owner, Sun has the rights to recreate Comedian by duct-taping any banana to a wall. While he has yet to announce plans to do so, he ensured attendees at the press conference were part of the artistic experience by gifting each a roll of duct tape and a banana as a souvenir.
The event was marked by theatrical touches, including two men dressed as auction staff standing in front of a blank wall where the banana artwork briefly hung before its consumption.
un’s venture into conceptual art comes amidst ongoing challenges in his cryptocurrency career. He recently disclosed a $30 million investment in World Liberty Financial, a crypto project reportedly backed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission continues its investigation into allegations that Sun sold unregistered securities linked to his crypto platform, Tron.
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