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Video shows Sun taking a bite of the banana after delivering a speech in which he described the artwork as “iconic” and compared conceptual art to cryptocurrency
Chinese-born crypto founder Justin Sun eats a banana artwork composed of a fresh banana stuck to a wall with duct tape, in Hong Kong on November 29. (AFP photo)
Crypto mogul Justin Sun on Friday made headlines once again after he ate the $6.2 million banana artwork he purchased just days earlier. The piece, titled “Comedian,” features a banana duct-taped to a wall, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.
Sun, who bought the artwork at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, fulfilled his promise to eat the banana in front of a crowd at one of Hong Kong’s most expensive hotels.
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The video from the event shows Sun taking a bite of the banana after delivering a speech in which he described the artwork as “iconic” and compared conceptual art to cryptocurrency.
“It’s much better than other bananas,” Sun said after taking his first bite. “It’s really quite good.”
Sun’s purchase of the banana art stirred considerable attention worldwide, with many questioning whether a simple fruit could be considered art. The piece had previously sparked controversy when it debuted at Art Basel in Miami Beach in 2019. Critics were divided over the value and meaning of the piece, which has now become a symbol of modern conceptual art.
Reflecting on his own reaction to winning the bid for the banana, Sun admitted he felt a moment of “disbelief” in the first few seconds after the auction ended. “But then I realised, this could become something big,” he said. It was in that moment that Sun made the decision to eat the banana at a press conference, considering it a unique way to add to the artwork’s history. “Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork’s history,” he explained.
Sun also drew comparisons between the nature of conceptual art and the world of cryptocurrency and NFTs, which, like “Comedian,” exist primarily as intellectual property rather than physical objects.
“Most of its objects and ideas exist as (intellectual property) and on the internet, as opposed to something physical,” he noted, drawing a parallel between art and blockchain technology.
The banana, which garnered worldwide attention when it was sold for $6.2 million, has become a symbol of the growing influence of conceptual art and the sometimes absurd nature of high-priced art in the modern world. For Sun, it also serves as another example of his flair for the dramatic, following his high-profile ventures in the cryptocurrency space.
Sun, known for his entrepreneurial ventures and flamboyant lifestyle, is the founder of the cryptocurrency platform Tron and the CEO of BitTorrent. With an estimated net worth of $1.43 billion, Sun is a significant player in the crypto world and often attracts attention with his bold investments and public statements.
ALSO READ: Who Is Justin Sun Who Bought ‘Duct-Taped Banana’ Artwork For $6 Million?
(With inputs from agencies)
