Chinese entrepreneur who bought a duct-taped banana for Rs 53 crore eats it: 'Tastes naturally different'

If you haven't heard about the banana duct-taped to a wall that sold as art for a whopping $6.2 million, you might just be living under a rock—or perhaps, under a banana. Enter Justin Sun, the man who shelled out millions for this quirky masterpiece, claiming it's "not just artwork; it's a cultural phenomenon." But now, Sun has gone bananas—literally—by eating the pricey fruit. How could he, right?!

Justin Sun, a cryptocurrency mogul and avid art collector, made headlines when he purchased the infamous duct-taped banana artwork for a staggering $6.24 million (Rs 53 crore) at a Sotheby's auction in New York.?

On a whim, Sun joked that he might just end up eating the banana—and he followed through in dramatic fashion.

At one of Hong Kong's most luxurious hotels, Sun took a bite out of a banana in front of a captivated audience, describing the artwork as "iconic."

His verdict? The experience was "naturally different from an ordinary banana," given its rich backstory or as Sun described it, "a banana with such a back story."

Reflecting on his purchase, Sun said he felt "disbelief" in the first 10 seconds after winning the bid, quickly realising, "this could become something big."?

By the next 10 seconds, he had already decided the banana was destined to be eaten.

Sun is no stranger to splurging on art. His collection includes both traditional blue-chip pieces and NFTs. In 2021, he made waves by spending $78.4 million on a Picasso painting and an Alberto Giacometti sculpture.?

But dropping Rs 53 crore on a banana? Now that's a-peeling.

Who made the duct taped banana art work?

The duct-taped banana, a conceptual art piece titled Comedian, was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan.?

Credit: Reuters

The artwork serves as a critique of the art market’s extravagance, with its value driven entirely by the hype and money it generates.

In an interview with The Times, Cattelan delved into the deeper meaning of the piece, stating, "The higher the price, the more it reinforces its original concept."

In other words, the absurdity of a banana's multimillion-dollar price tag perfectly embodies the critique of art as a commodity.

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