Justin Sun, a San Francisco cryptocurrency mogul, paid U$6.2mil (RM27.64mil) for a banana.
Technically, he bought one of three identical art pieces titled Comedian, done in 2019 by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. But really, it's just a banana affixed to a wall with a strip of duct tape.
Sun, the founder of the Tron blockchain, announced his purchase on X.
"I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history. I am honoured to be the proud owner of the banana," he wrote, followed by a banana emoji, "and look forward to it sparking further inspiration and impact for art enthusiasts around the world."
Oh, and Sun said he plans to eat his banana.
Comedian is understandably controversial. On one side, some observers fail to understand how something like this could even be considered art. On the other side, people are willing to spend tens of millions on artwork that looks like something anyone could make. Sun seems to belong to the latter camp.
"This is not just an artwork; it represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community," Sun wrote in his post on X.
According to the New York Times, the purchase of the work comes with a certificate of authenticity and instructions that explain how to replace the banana when it rots. The idea is that owners get to re-create Cattelan's work themselves whenever they want.
The New York Times also reported that Sun beat out six other bidders for the piece at a New York City branch of the auction house Sotheby's, which set the initial bidding price at US$800,000 (RM3.5mil).
Last Friday, Sun asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk – who also owns SpaceX – on X (which Musk also owns) if he could tape the banana to a SpaceX rocket and launch it to Mars. Musk has not yet responded. – SFGate, San Francisco/Tribune News Service
