n one of the surreal art world moments, Justin Sun, a Chinese crypto-tycoon who bought an artwork comprising a banana taped to a wall for $6.2 million, ate the real banana at a Hong Kong press event. Highly publicized stunts like his attract the attention of the whole world and refuel debates around the absurdity and commercialization of conceptual art.
Banana Eaten After $6.2 Million Purchase
According to eyewitnesses, Sun peeled off the duct tape and ate the overripe banana in front of the media at The Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel. "It tastes much better than other bananas. Indeed, quite good," he said nonchalantly after taking a bite of the multi-million dollar fruit.
The artwork "Comedian" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan went viral when it launched at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 for the debates it sparked about the value given to conceptual pieces.
Controversy in the History of the Artwork
According to gallery reports from 2019, three editions of "Comedian" sold for between $120,000 and $150,000 each. But the straightforward banana taped to a wall with duct tape garnered such frenzied attention that it had to be removed from display after another artist ate the real banana. Last week at Sotheby's auction, Sun successfully bid $6.2 million, buying the certificate of authenticity that entitles him to remake the provocative installation.
Crypto Mogul's Artistic Investments
The provocative banana eating is the latest in a series of headline-grabbing moves by Sun. Earlier this week, he announced investing $30 million in Donald Trump's new cryptocurrency venture World Liberty Financial, becoming an adviser to the company launched by the former U.S. President.
Sun said his platform Tron is "committed to making America great again and leading innovation." But he's also accused of fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission—a charge he's dismissed as "lacking merit."
