Crypto mogul buys a single banana for $6.2 million – then eats it

Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun splashed over $6 million (£4.9 million) on a piece of art featuring a single banana duct-taped to a wall. He has since kept his promise of eating it.

The artwork, 'Comedian,' was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and was put up for auction at Sotheby's in New York, where Sun outbid six others.

After splurging on 'Comedian', Sun said the piece "represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community".

The edible creation was first displayed at the 2019 Art Basel show in Miami Beach, sparking controversy over whether it should be considered art, which was the artist's aim.

On Friday (29 November), Sun likened the banana art to NFTs and decentralised blockchain technology.

"Most of its objects and ideas exist as (intellectual property) and on the internet, as opposed to something physical," he shared.

Sun hosted a press conference at a Hong Kong hotel, where he chowed down on the fruit, saying: "It’s much better than other bananas. It’s really quite good."

Getty Images

Speaking about his winning bid, Sun said he felt "disbelief," and in the first 10 seconds of securing the piece, he knew he would eat it.

"Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork’s history," he said.

This week, Sun was also appointed an advisor to the crypto initiative, World Liberty Financial, backed by Donald Trump following a $30 million investment.

He previously turned to X/Twitter to say he was "excited to help make crypto great again in the US."

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