In a bizarre blend of art and appetite, a cryptocurrency entrepreneur consumed a piece of banana art he purchased for a staggering $6.2 million.
Justin Sun recently bought the conceptual artwork “Comedian” and consumed the banana in Hong Kong during a public event, AP News reported.
The artwork, a banana duct-taped to a wall, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was part of a display that had received vast attention since its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019. This singular piece challenges viewers to discern whether it's a whimsical joke or a critical commentary on the art world's extravagances.
At one point during the original display, another artist removed and ate the banana, indicating that the fruit was replaceable in the ongoing artwork. This aspect was central to the concept, as the buyers purchased a certificate allowing them to attach a fresh banana to their wall.
Last Friday, in the luxurious surroundings of The Peninsula Hong Hong, one of the city's most opulent hotels located in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, Sun decided to partake in his expensive purchase. Surrounded by media and art enthusiasts, he peeled off the silver duct tape and savored the fruit.
“It tastes much better than other bananas. Indeed, quite good,” declared Sun, following his indulgence in the costly artwork. His act of consuming the banana at the press conference was both a literal and figurative digestion of contemporary art's often controversial essence.
Purchased last week at a Sotheby’s auction in New York, the piece titled “Comedian” comes with a certificate of authenticity. This certificate provides Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON, the ongoing right to re-create the piece as originally conceptualized by Cattelan.
Cattelan’s work, known for its provocative nature, raises questions about the nature of value and art in modern society. The artist had originally priced the editions of this work between $120,000 and $150,000, highlighting the significant escalation in its value in just a few years.
The original artwork featuring the banana affixed with duct tape had to be removed from its exhibition after overwhelming public interest and occasional disruptions, including the aforementioned instance of another artist eating the banana. This event added to the allure and absurdity surrounding the piece.
Following its initial unveiling and the resulting fervor at Art Basel, “Comedian” became a social and critical focal point, daring art collectors and viewers to reconsider notions of worth and the nature of art objects.
Sun's act of eating the banana ripples through this ongoing dialogue, conjoining acts of performance art with the ironies and speculative nature of both the art and cryptocurrency markets.
This dramatic act of consumption at a luxury hotel, known for its grandeur and opulence, provides a stark backdrop against the simplicity and perishable nature of a banana, further emphasizing the contrast between the enduring and ephemeral aspects of art.
Justin Sun’s act of eating the duct-taped banana highlights the transient yet impactful nature of many modern art pieces, questioning and perhaps satirizing the very markets that give them value.
As “Comedian” continues to exist in its intended form—as a concept that can be replicated indefinitely—it raises profound questions about originality, authenticity, and value in contemporary art. Sun's engagement with the piece adds yet another layer to its complex narrative, blending art with action in a public, performative declaration.
