The businessman paid for international media and received a banana as a bonus
Summary
A banana taped to the wall was purchased for $6.2 million, provoking extreme reactions and attracting press attention.
A work consisting of a banana stuck to the wall with duct tape was purchased at auction for a bid of $6.2 million (around R$35 million). The winning bid was that of Chinese businessman Justin Sun, owner of a cryptocurrency company.
Since it was first exhibited in 2019, the artwork, called “Comedian”, has provoked extreme reactions and captured the attention of the press outside the art circuit. Justin Sun soon posted about the acquisition on his social networks, such as Instagram and Twitter: “I am thrilled to share that I have successfully acquired Maurizio Cattelan’s iconic work, Comedian, for $6.2 million. This is not just a work of art; represents a cultural phenomenon that unites the world of art, memes and the cryptocurrency community.”
Works of art can represent an investment, with earning potential if resold. But in this case the return on investment was immediate. Justin knows that the work in question has become a matter of public interest and that the buyer will be informed in various press outlets. The value of the acquisition is a topic of debate in conversation circles and the acquirer will be mentioned many times, both good and bad. And so your name and your company become better known.
Also, coincidentally or not, Justin mentions, without any context, Elon Musk’s company SpaceX in his post about the piece. It could be a way to draw attention to the billionaire, who is also a public figure of media interest.
Sun’s text on social media also mentions the relationship between art and memes: Justin knows his audience and knows the intersection between the interests of digital currency enthusiasts and memes: “memecoins” are part of crypto culture. There are the most famous and oldest meme coins such as Dogecoin, created in 2013, and new ones emerging every day, such as Floki, from 2021, created after Elon Musk’s dog.
In other words, it doesn’t matter that the artwork costs only a few cents (the price of a banana and a piece of tape), what matters is that it is talked about.
he is a journalist specializing in economics.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
