A Chinese entrepreneur ate a banana he purchased for 6.2 million dollars at an auction in New York.
A few days ago, a banana duct-taped to a wall sold for over 6 million dollars, with the buyer being Justin Sun. Along with the banana and the tape, he also received a certificate of authenticity and instructions for replacing the fruit once it rots.
However, Sun announced he would eat the banana before it spoiled – and he has now followed through. He explained that this was his way of “respecting his place in the history of art and popular culture.”
Sun fulfilled his promise on November 29th at the Peninsula Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in Hong Kong. During a speech to reporters, he drew parallels between conceptual art and cryptocurrency. As a memento, each attendee received a roll of duct tape and a banana.
While eating the banana, he remarked that it was “better than others.”
“Eating a banana at a press conference can also become part of art history,” Sun said.
It should be recalled that the banana duct-taped to the wall is a conceptual artwork titled Comedian. It became a viral sensation after Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan introduced it in 2019. Visitors were left wondering whether the fruit taped to a white wall was a joke or a witty commentary on the questionable standards of art collectors.
The auction house Sotheby’s explained that the piece quickly grew into a global viral phenomenon, attracting record-breaking attendance, flooding social media, landing on the front page of The New York Post, and dividing audiences and critics alike.
