Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun made headlines on Friday by eating the $6.2 million banana artwork he purchased just days earlier. The piece, titled Comedian by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, features a banana duct-taped to a wall and has long sparked debate about the nature of art and value.
At a press event in Hong Kong, Sun ate the banana in front of journalists, calling it “iconic” and comparing its disruptive nature to cryptocurrency. “It’s much better than other bananas. It’s really quite good,” he joked.
Sun’s purchase, made at a Sotheby’s auction after seven participants bid for the artwork, was intended to fuel cultural conversations. Explaining his decision to eat the banana, Sun said, “Eating it at a press conference can also become part of the artwork’s story.”
Since debuting at the 2019 Art Basel Miami Beach, Comedian has divided critics, with its value soaring from $800,000 to over $5 million, challenging traditional notions of art.
