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Latin Times
Latin Times
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Elizabeth Urban

Chinese Crypto Founder Buys Banana Taped to Wall for $6 Million, Says He Will Eat It

Italian visual artist Maurizio Cattelan's duct-taped Banana entitled "Comedian" was bought for $6.2 million by Chinese businessman Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON. (Credit: KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

A Chinese crypto founder just bought a banana taped to a wall for more than $6 million, and said he plans to eat it as part of a "unique artistic experience."

Justin Sun, the founder of the cryptocurrency platform TRON, bought the art piece at auction for $6.2 million, he said in a post to X. While the businessman said he was "thrilled" by the purchase, he also announced that he planned to eat it.

"In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture," Sun wrote in the tweet.

The businessman shared that he is proud to be a part of the piece's history, which he believes "will inspire more thought and discussion in the future."

"This is not just an artwork; it represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community. I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history," Sun wrote.

Maurizio Cattelan's piece "Comedian" garnered widespread fame after its installment in December 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach. The piece is composed of a single banana duct-taped to a wall, secured exactly 160 centimeters above the ground, as reported by Sotheby's.

Sun will not be the first person to eat the art piece. Two other people have eaten the banana, although neither of them paid more than $6 million for their snack.

However, some users appeared to think that the purchase was a waste of money after Sun shared that he was the one who purchased the banana. "You bought a banana taped to a wall?" one user commented. "Brother how much money do you have?" another asked.

Meanwhile others welcomed the businessman into the art community, and celebrated his purchase. "Big congrats Justin!" one user tweeted. "Congrats! Massive buy!" another commented.

© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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