On November 29, cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun fulfilled his promise to eat the banana from the controversial artwork Comedian by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, which he had purchased for $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction. During a press conference held at The Peninsula Hong Kong, Sun removed the banana from the wall, peeled it, and consumed it in front of dozens of journalists and influencers.
“It’s much better than any other banana. It’s really delicious,” Justin Sun said at the event, according to People. He added, “I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history. I am honored to be the proud owner of the banana and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art enthusiasts around the world.”
Justin Sun, the 34-year-old founder of the blockchain platform Tron and the digital currency TRX, purchased Comedian during a contemporary art auction at Sotheby’s in New York, surpassing bids from seven other potential buyers, including notable crypto-enthusiast collectors Ryan Zurrer and Cozomo de’ Medici. The artwork consists of a fresh banana duct-taped to a wall, and its sale far exceeded its presale estimate of $1-1.5 million.
Prior to consuming the banana, Sun praised Maurizio Cattelan’s work, drawing parallels between conceptual art and cryptocurrencies. “The real value is the concept itself,” he stated, comparing Comedian to NFT art and blockchain technology, as reported by El Universal. He argued that both conceptual artworks and digital assets are “subject to fluctuations in value and market perception,” according to BBC News.
At the press conference, Sun explained his decision to eat the banana. “Eating the banana during a press conference may be part of its history,” he said, highlighting its significance in the artistic experience, as reported by Perú21. He also remarked, “To be honest, for a banana with such a back story, the taste is naturally different from an ordinary one,” according to People.
Attendees of the event received a banana and a roll of adhesive tape as souvenirs, but they did not get to taste the banana from Comedian. The presentation attracted significant media interest, with Sun emphasizing the playful nature of the event by stating, “Everyone has a banana to eat,” according to Kenh14.
Comedian, created by Maurizio Cattelan in 2019, has been a subject of intense debate and discussion in the art world. The piece is intended to question the notion of art and its value, provoking discussions about its absurdity and the standards among art collectors. The artwork consists of a banana attached to a wall with gray duct tape and was first exhibited at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019, where it generated significant buzz.
The banana in Comedian is meant to be replaced every two to three days due to its quick rotting, and the owner receives an instruction manual on how to replace it. With the acquisition, Sun received a certificate of authenticity that granted him the authority to stick a banana to a wall with adhesive tape and call it Comedian.
The artwork has been consumed before. In 2019, performance artist David Datuna peeled and ate the banana from Comedian in an intervention called “Hungry Artist”. further fueling the debate about the artwork’s status. In 2023, a South Korean university student ate the banana exhibited at the Leeum Museum of Art, reportedly saying he was “hungry” and arguing that “damaging a work of modern art could also be [interpreted as] artwork,” as mentioned by BBC News.
Sun’s act of eating the banana seeks to establish a parallel between the artwork and cryptocurrencies, asserting that “the real value is the concept itself,” according to La República. He emphasized, “Most of their objects and ideas are available as intellectual property and on the internet, unlike a physical thing,” as reported by the news outlet.
Shah Alam, a 74-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant who sells fruits on the streets of New York, reportedly sold the original banana used in the artwork for 35 cents, according to The New York Times. Upon learning that the banana was auctioned for $6.2 million, Alam expressed disbelief and sadness. “I am a poor man; I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money,” he said, as reported by Kenh14.
Justin Sun expressed his “gratitude” towards Shah Alam, stating that the vendor made a “decisive contribution to this groundbreaking artwork,” according to The Independent. He announced his intention to buy 100,000 bananas from Alam and distribute them worldwide as a “celebration of the beautiful bond between everyday life and art,” as noted by The New York Times. However, Alam highlighted the practical difficulties of fulfilling such an order, pointing out logistical issues and the costs involved.
Sun’s actions have sparked discussions in both the art and investment worlds, questioning the perception of what constitutes a work of art and the value assigned to it. Maurizio Cattelan has defended Comedian as a serious commentary on societal values, stating it is “not a joke” but rather a “sincere commentary and a reflection on what we value,” according to Dân Trí.
This event is not Sun’s first high-profile purchase. In 2020, he spent $4.5 million to have lunch with Warren Buffett to promote cryptocurrencies, as mentioned by NPR. Last year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charged Sun with fraud and other securities law violations, but he dismissed the allegations, calling them “baseless” and stating that they “lack merit,” according to Dân Trí.
By consuming the banana, Justin Sun has added another chapter to the ongoing discourse surrounding Comedian, blurring the lines between art, performance, and the value of conceptual works. His act underscores the idea that, as with cryptocurrencies, “the real value is the concept itself.”
