Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun added a unique chapter to the history of conceptual art by eating a banana that was part of an artwork he had purchased for $6.2 million.
The unusual spectacle unfolded on Friday at a high-profile press event held at one of Hong Kong's most luxurious hotels.
Sun had acquired the artwork, Comedian — a banana duct-taped to a wall — by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan at a Sotheby's auction in New York last week. The piece gained international fame during its debut at the 2019 Art Basel show in Miami Beach, sparking debates over its classification as art.
Speaking to journalists and influencers before consuming the fruit, Sun hailed the piece as “iconic” and drew comparisons between conceptual art and the cryptocurrency movement. “It's much better than other bananas,” he said after taking a bite. “It's really quite good.
Sun’s decision to eat the banana was not spontaneous. In the moments following his successful bid, he envisioned turning the act of consumption into part of the artwork’s legacy. "Eating it at a press conference can also become a part of the artwork's history," he explained.
The entrepreneur likened the nature of Cattelan’s work to that of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology, pointing out the parallels between intangible intellectual property and decentralised digital assets.
"Most of its objects and ideas exist as intellectual property and on the internet, as opposed to something physical," Sun remarked, further underscoring the synergy between contemporary art and the crypto space.
The Comedian series has been both celebrated and critiqued for challenging conventional definitions of art. At the time of its first unveiling, it stirred controversy over the ephemeral nature of its medium.
Sun’s act, while unconventional, has added a fresh layer to the conversation, intertwining themes of conceptual art, cryptocurrency, and public spectacle. Observers noted that Sun’s performance might enhance the artwork’s significance in art history and blockchain discourse alike.
