Justin Sun Purchases $6.2 Million Banana Art at Sotheby’s and Plans to Eat It
Justin Sun, the founder of Tron, made headlines by purchasing Maurizio Cattelan's famous artwork, Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall, for $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction. The bidding lasted just six minutes. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sun shared that he plans to “personally eat the banana” as part of the unique artistic experience, celebrating the piece’s cultural significance in art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community.
Sun emphasized that the artwork is more than just a simple banana – it represents a cultural phenomenon. Upon acquiring the piece, Sun was given a certificate of authenticity, confirming his right to display it as an official artwork. He also received a starter kit from Sotheby’s, which included a new banana, duct tape, and an instruction manual on how to present the work.
Sun expressed excitement about owning Comedian, hoping it will inspire global discussions and become an important part of art history. The sculpture first appeared at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019 and quickly gained fame as a meme, even being featured on the cover of the New York Post. Though the concept is simple, it has sparked widespread attention and has been replicated in various forms.
This isn’t the first time the banana has been eaten. In 2019, performance artist David Datuna ate the banana while it was on display at Galerie Perrotin in New York. A South Korean student also ate it in 2023 when the piece was on display at the Leeum Museum of Art, though the banana was later replaced, and no charges were filed.