Maurizio Cattelan’s controversial artwork, “Comedian,” featuring a banana duct-taped to a wall, has sold for an astonishing $6.2 million (£4.9 million) at Sotheby’s in New York—far surpassing pre-sale estimates by four times.
Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur Justin Sun emerged as the highest bidder, outbidding six other competitors to secure the piece during Wednesday’s auction.
In a statement, Sun said, “In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience.”
The banana itself, now possibly one of the most expensive fruits ever sold, was initially purchased earlier that day for just $0.35, according to the New York Times.
First revealed in 2019, “Comedian” quickly became a viral sensation, sparking debates about the definition of art. The installation, which has toured the world, includes instructions for replacing the banana when it decays.
Over the years, the banana has been consumed twice. In 2023, a South Korean art student ate the banana during the installation at Seoul’s Leeum Museum of Art, prompting the museum to replace it. Similarly, in 2019, after the artwork sold for $120,000 at Art Basel in Miami, a performance artist removed the banana, but it was promptly replaced without further incident.
Justin Sun, known for running the Tron blockchain network, has faced legal issues. Last year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused him of fraud for allegedly inflating trading volumes of the TRX cryptocurrency token, although Sun denies the charges.
