A Bitcoin billionaire who spent more than $6 million on a famous art piece featuring a single banana has vowed to purchase thousands of bananas from the sidewalk vendor who originally sold the banana to the artist for 25 cents.
Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON, pledged in a post to X Thursday that he would purchase 100,000 bananas from Shah Alam, the Upper East Side street vendor who sold the now-famous banana to artist Maurizio Cattelan.
To thank Mr. Shah Alam, I’ve decided to buy 100,000 bananas from his stand in New York's Upper East Side. These bananas will be distributed free worldwide through his stand. Show a valid ID to claim one banana, while supplies last. https://t.co/jbCnh0u3JI
— H.E. Justin Sun 🍌 (@justinsuntron) November 28, 2024
"As the owner of a fruit stand in Manhattan's Upper East Side, Mr. Shah Alam inadvertently became a crucial contributor to a groundbreaking piece of art. This banana, far from being an ordinary piece of fruit, has taken on profound cultural and artistic significance," Sun wrote in a series of tweets.
"Mr. Alam's contribution to this extraordinary artwork is indispensable, highlighting the boundless possibilities and value hidden in everyday life. I hope this initiative will bring his story to a broader audience and, one day, I look forward to visiting his fruit stand in person to express my gratitude again," Sun continued.
The cryptocurrency founder purchased Cattelan's piece "Comedian" at auction for $6.2 million earlier this month. The artwork featured a single banana duct taped to a wall, and garnered international fame.
Alam learned of the fate of his banana and how much it sold for from a reporter days after the sale, as reported by the New York Times. "I am a poor man. I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money," Alam told the Times.
"This is not just a unique event but also a celebration of the beautiful connection between everyday life and art. I hope this gesture will help share the meaning of this special art story with more people," Sun wrote in a tweet.
The Chinese businessman ate the famous banana — as he previously pledged to do — in front of reporters on Friday, as reported by AFP.
"It's much better than other bananas," Sun told reporters. "It's really quite good."
Sun's announcement to purchase the large amount of bananas led to mixed reactions from social media users. While some thought the businessman's decision was a "kind" gesture, others thought it would have been more helpful to give the vendor cash.
"The best thing I heard today! And today was a great day! Thank you for your kindness," one user commented.
Meanwhile, another user wrote, "This is a stupid plan, which you know he's not going to make any money from. Just give him the money."
