The entrepreneur who just bought the banana for $6.2 million (nearly 158 billion VND) is one of the richest people in the cryptocurrency market.
On the evening of November 20, during Sotheby's auction in New York, Mr. Justin Sun, the founder of cryptocurrency TRON, surpassed 6 participants to become the winner of the bid for "Comedian", for $6.2 million. Comedian is the installation artwork of a banana taped to the wall, created by artist Maurizio Cattelan in 2019.
The Chinese-born billionaire shared on X that: "I just successfully bought the iconic artwork Comedian by artist Maurizio Cattelan for $6.2 million. In the coming days, I will eat a banana as part of this unique art experience, to honor its place in the history of art and culture."
After winning, billionaire Justin Sun received a banana, a roll of tape, a certificate signed by the artist, and instructions to replace the banana whenever the old one rots. This decision by the billionaire sparked a discussion in the world of art and cryptocurrency.
According to Cryptonomist, billionaire Justin Sun's purchase of Comedian is not coincidental. In a post on X that attracted 1.2 million views, this billionaire considers the wall-mounted banana artwork as a "cultural phenomenon connecting art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community". Meanwhile, Crypto News Flash suggested that Justin Sun's actions not only bolster his own image but also emphasize how cryptocurrency is playing a role similar to a tool for participating in traditional markets.
In fact, the artwork "the wall-mounted banana" was previously vandalized during the exhibition. Specifically, in 2019, artist David Datuna removed the banana from the wall and ate it, just minutes after the artwork was sold for $120,000 at the Art Basel exhibition center. The artist called this act a "hungry artist performance". The Art Basel exhibition center did not require David Datuna to compensate and stated that the banana "is just an idea", while the value of the artwork lies in the certificate.
In May 2023, at the Leeum Art Museum (Seoul, South Korea), a student removed the banana and ate it, then taped the banana peel back in place. When museum staff asked for an explanation, the student replied that he had "skipped breakfast and was too hungry". The student further stated that damaging modern art could also be considered a form of art.
Who is the billionaire who spent nearly 158 billion VND to buy a banana?
Information about the person who spent $6.2 million to own the artwork "the wall-mounted banana" quickly attracted media and public attention. This person is Justin Sun, 34 years old, a Chinese-born billionaire. Mr. Sun outbid 6 participants to purchase this artwork, at a price four times higher than expected. According to initial reports, Justin Sun, who is dubbed the "crypto mogul", will pay the auction fee in cryptocurrency.
Justin Sun was born and raised in Qingdao (China). He graduated from Peking University, one of the most prestigious universities in China. Later, he studied for his master's degree at the University of Pennsylvania (USA). During his studies here, Mr. Sun learned about Bitcoin and invested in cryptocurrency.
In 2015, Justin Sun was honored by CCTV as the most notable new entrepreneur of the year. Continuously for 3 consecutive years thereafter, in 2015, 2016, and 2017, Forbes included Justin Sun in the Top 30 Under 30 list. Mr. Justin Sun is also the founder of the TRON cryptocurrency, which has a significant influence on the cryptocurrency market. In 2023, this entrepreneur was sued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for inflating the price of TRON. However, Mr. Sun denied all allegations.
In addition to his passion for cryptocurrency, Justin Sun is also known as an art collector and a big spender. Notably, one of the most talked-about events was when this entrepreneur won a bid for the opportunity to have dinner with "investment legend" Warren Buffett in 2019. This event caused some controversies because Justin Sun had to postpone this dinner multiple times and there were some issues related to the organization. Eventually, Justin Sun had the chance to dine with the famous billionaire in February 2020, with a bidding amount of up to $4.6 million.
Justin Sun often participates in international events and conferences about cryptocurrency. According to international media assessments, this Chinese-born billionaire is an ambitious person and has a significant influence in the cryptocurrency industry, although his career has been controversial. Forbes estimates that Justin Sun's current net worth is about $1.4 billion.
Source reference: The Guardian, Reuters, Forbes
You can ask him @Justin Sun孙宇晨 to see how to replace a rotten banana 😅
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