Banana sold at auction for $6.2M eaten by its buyer, Justin Sun
The founder of TRON, Justin Sun, shared a video of himself eating the banana from Maurizio Cattelan’s artwork "Comedian," sparking discussions about the value of art and everyday objects.
Photo: pixabay.com
The founder of TRON, Justin Sun, grabbed attention by eating the banana from the famous installation "Comedian" by artist Maurizio Cattelan, sharing the video on his social media accounts.
The piece, sold for $6.2M at Sotheby’s auction, has become a symbol of the art market.
Interestingly, the banana was originally purchased from 74-year-old Shah Alam, a Manhattan vendor, for just 35 cents, according to Daily Mail.
Alam, who earns $12 an hour, was shocked to learn the fate of his fruit. He never imagined that an ordinary banana would become a part of art, only to end up being eaten.
Justin Sun commented that by eating the banana, he aimed to "bring art closer to life."
It’s worth noting that the installation "Comedian", created by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, has once again become a focus of attention.
At the Sotheby’s auction on November 20, the famous "banana" taped to a wall with duct tape was sold for $6.2M, far exceeding its initial estimate of $1–1.5M.
The buyer was the founder of the blockchain platform TRON, Justin Sun. On his X account (formerly Twitter), he stated that the installation is not just art but a cultural phenomenon connecting the worlds of art, memes, and cryptocurrencies. Moreover, Sun announced that he would eat the banana to turn the act into a new artistic experience.
The "Comedian" was first exhibited in 2019 at Art Basel in Miami Beach, causing a sensation and mixed reactions from critics. Cattelan insists that the importance of the piece lies not in its material components but in the idea behind it. The buyer received a certificate of authenticity and instructions on replacing the banana to keep the work relevant.
Previously, it was reported that at the Tefaf art fair, a portrait of a woman painted by Van Gogh in 1884 was sold for over €4.5M.
It was also revealed that Gustav Klimt’s painting "Portrait of Fräulein Liser," discovered after a century, was sold at auction in Vienna for €30M.