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On Friday, Justin Sun, a prominent figure in the crypto world, turned a $6.2 million art acquisition into a spectacle by eating the banana that was central to the artwork. The piece, known for its audacious concept—a banana duct-taped to a wall—found new life in the headlines through Sun’s equally audacious consumption of its edible element.
At a high-profile press event held in a luxurious Hong Kong hotel, Justin Sun drew gasps and laughter as he boldly bit into the banana from the infamous artwork, doing so in full view of journalists and social media influencers.
Sun’s bite of the banana came after a speech in which he called Maurizio Cattelan’s “Comedian” an “iconic” work that reflected the same rebellious spirit as cryptocurrency. His act of consumption was not just an attention-grabbing stunt, but also an extension of his argument that both art and crypto challenge conventional systems.
“It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun quipped, adding after a bite, “It’s really quite good.”
The artwork, a strikingly minimalist piece featuring a single banana duct-taped to a wall, was sold at a Sotheby’s auction in New York just last week. Justin Sun was one of seven bidders competing for the piece, ultimately securing it for a staggering $6.2 million.
Reflecting on his purchase, he admitted to feeling “disbelief” when he realized he had won. He saw the piece as an opportunity to spark a broader cultural conversation.
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In a bold move, Sun chose to incorporate his act of eating the banana into the narrative of the artwork.
“Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork’s story,” he explained.
This isn’t the first time the banana artwork has sparked debate.
Since its debut at the 2019 Art Basel in Miami Beach, Comedian has challenged conventional notions of art, drawing both criticism and intrigue.
Cattelan himself designed the piece to provoke conversations about the value and definition of art.
Sun also connected the artwork to the world of NFTs and blockchain technology, emphasizing that much of its value lies in intellectual and virtual realms rather than its physical form.
“This is much like NFTs,” he remarked, highlighting parallels between the controversial artwork and the crypto world.
