Justin Sun, founder of TRON, recently bought the conceptual work (Comedian) by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan for $6.2 million. The banana taped to the wall continues to be discussed in the community.
Today, TRON founder Justin Sun posted a message saying that he bought the iconic work (Comedian) by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan for US$6.2 million (NT$201 million).
Although this work is very simple, just a banana taped to the wall, it has become an important page in the history of modern art because of its unique interpretation of artistic concepts and the huge sensation it caused. Sun Yuchen said:
I am pleased to announce that I bought Bananas! …I am pleased to share that I have successfully acquired Maurizio Cattelan’s iconic work (The Comedian) for $6.2 million.
This is not just a work of art; it represents a cultural phenomenon that connects the art, meme, and cryptocurrency communities. I believe this article will spark more thinking and discussion in the future and become part of history.
I am honored to be the owner of Banana and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art lovers around the world.
Also, over the next few days, be part of this unique art experience and honor its place in art history and pop culture. Stay tuned! I will personally eat the banana
The artistic concept behind the banana
(Comedian) debuted at Art Basel Miami in 2019. The work is simple and direct: a banana is fixed to the wall with tape, and it has to be replaced when it breaks. Artist Maurizio Cattelan emphasizes that true art lies in the "concept" rather than the object itself.
During the past exhibition, performance artist David Datuna also picked and ate a banana on display, causing a sensation. The gallery quickly replaced it with another banana.
In fact, this work was auctioned at Sotheby's in 2019 and sold for $120,000, which sparked heated discussions on social media at the time. Last month, the market estimated that this auction would fetch between $1 million and $1.5 million, but Sun Ge unexpectedly bought it today for $6.2 million, 4 to 6 times the price.
The one being auctioned at Sotheby's this time is the second of three versions. All three versions were sold that year, and one of them has been donated to the Guggenheim Museum.
Netizens are watching the show, BAN continues to fall
Netizens joked: "It's true that it's good to spend money wisely!" "Sun cuts leeks to buy bananas", "Next time I'll give you banana leaves!" Others pointed out that the core of this work is to record people's pursuit of sensation and attention, not just a banana.
On the other hand, the meme coin BAN, which became popular on the SOL chain due to this incident, has continued to fall since its price reached its peak on the 18th, and was reported at $0.1676 before press time. The heat seems to have passed.
