TRON Founder Eats A $6.2 Million Banana Art In A Viral Video: Eating 'Comedian'

Money matters for pretty much everyone, of course, but only as a tool. It buys freedom, options, and a degree of comfort.

While money is not everything, it will remain as that classic motivator—or illusion, depending on one's perspective.

Justin Sun is the TRON blockchain founder.

And this time, the cryptocurrency entrepreneur bought a piece of conceptual art consisting of a simple banana, duct-taped to a wall, for an eye-watering $6.2 million.

The Chinese-born Justin then peeled off the duct tape and enjoyed the banana in a press conference held in The Peninsula Hong Kong, one of the city’s priciest hotels, in the popular shopping district of Tsim Sha Tsui.

The reason a banana on a wall can be expensive is that many consider it an art.

Putting aside the artist who created it, the market dynamics, and its cultural influence, a piece of art can be priced based on the idea or message it conveys. Artworks can also command high prices if they are original.

And if there is a demand for an art, the price will adjust accordingly, but sometimes, they can go to extreme levels.

The banana in question is—or was, since Justin ate it—called the "Comedian."

Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, it was a phenomenon when it debuted in 2019 at Art Basel Miami Beach.

At the time, festivalgoers debated whether the single yellow banana, taped to a white wall with silver duct tape, was a joke or a playful critique of the questionable standards among art collectors. At one point, another artist even removed the banana from the wall and ate it.

Ironically, the art was so ridiculous and a joke, that actually brought the piece to even more attention.

At the Sotheby's auction in New York, seven bidders were keen on taking home that soon-to-be the world’s most expensive fruit.

Three editions sold for between $120,000 and $150,000, according to the gallery handling sales at the time. And Justin here won by paying $6.2 million for it.

With that amount of money, not only that he got the banana and the right to eat it, because his purchase also include a certificate of authenticity that gives him the authority to duct-tape a banana to a wall, and call it "Comedian."

The purchase also includes instructions on how to replace the banana by duct-taping a new one to the wall, whenever it's needed.

At the time, Justin said in a statement that the piece "represents a cultural phenomenon that bridges the worlds of art, memes, and the cryptocurrency community."

He said that he wanted to eat the banana "as part of this unique artistic experience, honoring its place in both art history and popular culture."

"I believe this piece will inspire more thought and discussion in the future and will become a part of history."

First, a few million dollars may mean nothing much to the crypto-billionaire. And second, Justin is a person who is actually an art collector, with collections that include works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Alberto Giacometti.

And third, purchasing the Comedian is like his first art he could eat.

So here, Justin who ate the Comedian, has the last laugh.

"It tastes much better than other bananas. Indeed, quite good," the 34-year-old said, after eating the banana.