Justin Sun Buys Cattelan's 'Comedian' Banana for $6.2 Million at Sotheby's Auction

Nov 21, 2024, 12:58 AM

On November 20th, 2024, Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan's conceptual artwork "Comedian," a banana duct-taped to a wall, sold for $6.2 million at Sotheby's auction in New York, over four times its pre-sale estimate of $1 million to $1.5 million. The buyer, Chinese-born cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun, declared that the artwork represents a cultural phenomenon. Sotheby's accepted cryptocurrency for the purchase. The sale occurred after ten minutes of bidding, making "Comedian" arguably the most expensive fruit in the world. The artwork, which debuted at Art Basel in Miami Beach in 2019 and sparked debate about the nature of art, requires the owner to replace the banana when it rots. Justin Sun announced plans to consume the banana as part of the artistic experience. The sale has reignited discussions about the value of conceptual art in the contemporary market.