Fruit Vendor's Banana Sold for $6.2 Million
Unexpected Windfall from Maurizio Cattelan's Artwork 'Comedian'
A 74-year-old fruit vendor, Shah Alam, sold a banana for 35 cents in New York, unaware it would become part of a renowned artwork by Maurizio Cattelan called 'Comedian’ and fetch $6.2 million at a Sotheby’s auction.
Alam, a Bangladeshi immigrant residing in the Bronx, works at a modest fruit stand on the Upper East Side.
The buyer, Justin Sun, a Chinese cryptocurrency mogul, admired Alam’s unwitting role and pledged to buy 100,000 bananas from Alam’s stand to distribute globally.
A GoFundMe campaign has also raised over $15,296 for Alam, highlighting public support for the vendor caught in the art world’s absurdity.
Alam, a Bangladeshi immigrant residing in the Bronx, works at a modest fruit stand on the Upper East Side.
The buyer, Justin Sun, a Chinese cryptocurrency mogul, admired Alam’s unwitting role and pledged to buy 100,000 bananas from Alam’s stand to distribute globally.
A GoFundMe campaign has also raised over $15,296 for Alam, highlighting public support for the vendor caught in the art world’s absurdity.
