NY Post

The iconic banana duct taped to the wall sold for $6.2 million in November to Chinese cryptocurrency entrepreneur, Justin Sun. The art piece is called “Comedian” and was created by Maurizio Cattelan. The one Sun bought was the third edition.
Cattelan is famous for his humorous and satirical pieces which have caused pushback in the art community. However, this piece gained particular attention, especially when it sold for the first time to Sarah Andelman, a founder of Colette, for $120,000 in 2020.
The piece was then donated to the Guggenheim Museum in New York City along with instructions, diagrams and a certificate of authenticity, which Sun bought alongside the banana. As the most recent buyer, Sun also has the right to recreate the art at any time.
“In the coming days, I will personally eat the banana as part of this unique artistic experience,” Sun said. On Nov. 29, he took this action during a press conference.
A New York Times reporter hunted down the man, Shah Alam, who sold the most recent banana used in the display. He is an immigrant from Bangladesh who moved to America to be closer to his family. When he was told what the banana was used for, he cried, having only been working 12-hour shifts for $12/hour.
“I am a poor man,” Alam said. “I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money.”
Cattelan, upon hearing the story, said, “The reaction of the banana vendor moves me deeply, underscoring how art can resonate in unexpected and profound ways. However, art, by its nature, does not solve problems—if it did, it would be politics.”
Sun, who is currently fighting fraud charges in the U.S. related to his own crypto business, did not respond to questions about the investigations or the recent buying of World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency promoted by Donald Trump.