Eating the world's most expensive banana under the spotlight undoubtedly made Sun Yuchen the 'Mr. Red Carpet' of the day.
Article author: 0x9999in1
Source: MetaEra
A striking 'eating broadcast', with a cost of 6.2 million dollars, for the world's most expensive banana!
On November 29, Sun Yuchen, founder of TRON, and a member of the Huobi HTX Global Advisory Committee, appeared at a press conference in Hong Kong titled (Sun Yuchen wins the world's most expensive banana: Redefining the boundaries of art and crypto culture). As he ate the banana taken from the wall, countless flashes and cameras captured the moment, making Sun Yuchen the 'Mr. Red Carpet' of the day.
(Comedian)'s birth: Challenging the definition of traditional art
(Comedian) is an artwork created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, consisting of a real banana and a piece of strong adhesive tape, with the banana fixed to the wall by the tape. The name of this artwork, 'Comedian', means 'comic actor'. It initially attracted great attention and discussion at the Art Basel exhibition in Miami, where two versions sold for $120,000 each on the first day of the exhibition.
This piece is not just a physical object, but also a satire and exploration of the art market, art value, and audience reactions. Through this piece, Cattelan challenges the definition of traditional art and sparks discussions about the essence and value of art. Its influence even extends beyond the art world, becoming part of a cultural phenomenon.
It is worth noting that the work comes with a certificate of authenticity and installation instructions, allowing the owner to replace the spoiled banana at any time according to their wishes.
(Comedian)'s new owner: Sun Yuchen splurges 6.2 million dollars to acquire it!
On the evening of November 20, local New York time, at a contemporary art auction held at Sotheby's, this piece was sold for 5.2 million dollars, and with the commission, a total of 6.24 million dollars (approximately 45.173 million yuan) was paid, and the buyer was Sun Yuchen.
After acquiring this piece, Sun Yuchen stated that he plans to eat the banana himself in the next few days in the form of performance art. This is to complete the cycle of this artwork while paying tribute to its cultural significance. He believes the charm of art lies in its interactivity and storytelling, and this approach not only aligns with the spirit of the piece itself but also sparks more discussions about art and value.
At the same time, Sun Yuchen emphasized, ‘This is not just an artwork, but a cultural phenomenon connecting art, meme culture, and the cryptocurrency community. I believe this piece will inspire more thoughts and discussions in the future and become part of history. I am honored to be the proud owner of this banana and look forward to it bringing more inspiration and impact to art lovers worldwide.’ At this moment, (Comedian)'s banana also completed its first binding with the crypto world.
(Comedian)'s continuation: Publicly eating and giving a new meaning to 'decentralization'
After eating the world's most expensive banana, Sun Yuchen immediately shared two 'aftertaste' remarks:
1. Tastes much better than other bananas, indeed!
2. The banana is gone, just like decentralization; this is the commonality between art and cryptocurrency.
We all know that the greatness of (Comedian)'s banana lies in achieving separation of concept and substance, with the core being its concept rather than merely its material form. It does not rely on the permanence or beauty of the material, but rather explores the essence and value of art through a simple everyday object. Moreover, unlike the uniqueness and irreplaceability typically associated with traditional artworks, (Comedian)'s banana can be replaced, further challenging the traditional definition of artworks.
Therefore, rather than simply saying that Sun Yuchen bought a banana or ate a banana, it is more accurate to say that he purchased a brand new idea and concept. The labels of 'challenge' and 'immaterial form' embodied by (Comedian) are strikingly similar. From the beginning of blockchain's birth, it challenged traditional finance through decentralization, immutability, and features represented mainly by Bitcoin via peer-to-peer trading. In the development process of human currency, digital currencies built on the core of blockchain first appeared in the public eye in an immaterial form, which signifies humanity taking a step towards a more decentralized economic system, with a more avant-garde meaning.
The act of Sun Yuchen eating the banana also signifies that art has more possibilities and extensibility in the context of the contemporary blockchain boom. The valuation of artworks is influenced by various factors, and blockchain technology can form a consensus on value recognition. Thus, through blockchain, the value of artworks can be more widely recognized and accepted, as blockchain provides a decentralized, transparent, and immutable value record system.
Additionally, blockchain platforms can help artists showcase their works to a global audience, achieving the digitization and circulation of artworks. This digitization not only allows more people to access artworks but also provides new avenues for the appreciation of the value of artworks. A concrete example is Sun Yuchen's active promotion of the development of digital culture through TRON. TRON is a decentralized platform based on blockchain, and through the TRON ecosystem, each transaction of an artwork is recorded on the blockchain, ensuring that changes in ownership of the artwork are transparent and traceable. This not only protects the intellectual property rights of artists but also ensures copyright revenue for every resale and use of the artwork.
Art dances with the 'spring breeze of blockchain': Keeping in sync with the times, touching hearts
As the press conference approached its conclusion, Sun Yuchen stated that the combination of art and technology helps promote innovation and cross-border collaboration. He actively encourages artists to explore new forms of expression and artistic formats, creating unique experiences and interactions through technologies such as technology and blockchain. He believes that only through continuous innovation and creativity can art keep pace with the times and truly touch people's hearts.
From the auction to eating the banana, Sun Yuchen not only completed an artistic practice and tribute but also meaningfully connected the world of crypto, which encompasses blockchain, virtual currencies, MEMEs, and more, with artworks. Such stunning cross-border collaboration is gradually changing our traditional understanding of art, and the future will showcase infinite possibilities.
