Public statements from Justin Sun or Shah Alam, or verified news reports

Justin Sun Eats $6.2 Million Duct-Taped Banana Artwork at Hong Kong Event

Nov 29, 2024, 02:27 PM

Justin Sun, the founder of blockchain platform Tron and a prominent cryptocurrency entrepreneur, purchased the conceptual artwork 'Comedian' by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan—a banana duct-taped to a wall—for $6.2 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York. The banana was originally bought from a 74-year-old New York City fruit vendor, Shah Alam, for 35 cents. In response to learning about the vendor's situation, Justin Sun pledged to purchase 100,000 bananas from Mr. Alam. At a live event in Hong Kong, Sun fulfilled a promise by eating the banana from the artwork in front of an audience. He described the experience as 'iconic' and stated, 'It's much better than other bananas.' Sun compared the artwork to the intersection of art and cryptocurrency, highlighting its cultural significance and drawing parallels with NFTs and blockchain technology.