- Some people spend millions on a house, others on a car – but crypto founder Justin Sun has instead put his hard-earned cash toward one of the art world’s most infamous pieces.
- Comedian, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, sold at a Sotheby’s auction for approximately US $6.1m.
- The artwork comprises a banana duct taped to a wall – however, its value is derived from its certificate of authenticity.
- Sun plans to eat the current banana (before replacing it), but is willing to hold off on his tasty snack if Elon Musk wants to take it into space as part of a SpaceX voyage.
What’s the most money you’ve ever spent on a single banana?
Maybe you were on holiday in a small town gas station and, needing a refreshing bit of fruit, paid a few bucks for some of that yellow goodness.
Well, as Tron founder Justin Sun discovered, bananas aren’t always as inexpensive as you might think.
The crypto entrepreneur unloaded an absurd US $6m (AU $9.2m) for an..uh…unique artistic expression.
So, just why is this banana so expensive, and why was Sun so desperate for it?
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Yes, A Banana Taped to a Wall Is Worth Millions of Dollars
Okay, let’s start off by unpeeling exactly what this piece of art is.
It’s a banana.
Wait for it…
Duct taped to a wall.
There’s nothing special about the banana – it’s the kind you’d find at your local supermarket.
Okay, it sounds really weird.
But the value of the artwork, named “Comedian” by creator Maurizio Cattelan, is derived from its certificate of authenticity.
According to auctioneer Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art David Galperin:
Cattelan’s Comedian is about the conditions that characterize our understanding of what makes something art – and one of those conditions is value.
Sotheby’s Head of Contemporary Art David GalperinPart of the artwork’s charm is that the banana can be eaten. In fact, it’s been eaten twice before – and new owner Justin Sun plans to become the third consumer of the world’s most expensive banana.
Luckily for the crypto mogul, the million-dollar purchase comes with a 14-page manual explaining how to replace the banana in the event it is consumed.
“Bananas”, Sun Claims as he Muses Potential Interstellar Journey for the Much-Loved Fruit
Justin Sun was exuberant with his auction win, touting how the banana represents the intersection of “art, memes and the cryptocurrency community.”
I am honored to be the proud owner of this iconic work and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art enthusiasts around the world. Additionally, in the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture.
Justin Sun, Founder of TronSun even promised to hold off on eating the banana if fellow crypto-lover Elon Musk decided to take the artwork into space as part of a SpaceX voyage.
However, no amount of rationalisation or theorycrafting can sum up Sun’s purchase as well as Sun did himself on Twitter on the following day.
Bananas indeed.
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