Justin Sun Eats $6.2 Million Banana Artwork at Hong Kong Event

Tron creator Justin Sun has made headlines by eating a $6.2 million banana from Maurizio Cattelan’s infamous artwork, Comedian, at a live event in Hong Kong. Sun, who purchased the banana at a Sotheby’s auction, shared the moment with his audience via a live stream on his X account.

The artwork, which features a banana duct-taped to a wall, became a viral sensation after Sun bought it for a staggering $6.2 million at auction.

During the event, Sun removed the banana from the wall, peeled it, and took a bite in front of a captivated crowd. The audience cheered as Sun spoke briefly in Mandarin before taking another bite and saving the rest of the banana for later.

Shortly after the event, Sun made an intriguing announcement. He revealed plans to purchase 100,000 bananas from a New York City street vendor, Mr. Shah Alam, who had initially sold the banana used in the original artwork for just 25 cents. Sun expressed his intention to distribute the bananas globally, emphasizing their newfound cultural and artistic significance.

“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,” Sun wrote in a post, highlighting the banana's transformation into a symbol of both art and popular culture.

Sun's purchase of the banana marked a notable moment in the art world. The piece, titled Comedian, by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, had already garnered global attention for its unconventional nature. Sun became the third person to have consumed the artwork, following a hungry South Korean student and performance artist David Datuna.

Following his purchase, Sotheby’s issued Sun a certificate of authenticity, affirming his ownership of the piece, along with a “starter-kit” that included a banana, duct tape, and an instruction manual on how to present the artwork.

For Sun, the act of eating the banana was a continuation of his desire to engage with the artwork in a unique and meaningful way, tying the experience to both art history and contemporary culture.