Published November 29, 2024 11:29am Updated November 29, 2024 11:29am
The antheral who bought an creation portion consisting of a banana taped to a partition for £4,880,000 has taken a large wound retired of it.
Justin Sun, a Chinese cryptocurrency businessman, bought ‘Comedian’, a portion by Maurizio Cattelan, astatine auction past week.
The effect vendor down the banana duct-taped to a partition had nary thought astir the fruit’s fate. 74-year-old Shah Alam runs a effect basal extracurricular of Sotheby’s successful Manhattan, wherever helium sold the banana which ended up successful the creation piece.
His bananas merchantability for £0.20 each, oregon £0.79 for a bunch. The New York Times tracked down Mr Alam and told him astir wherever the banana helium sold ended up – the effect seller cried.
It seems Mr Sun wants to marque things right, saying helium wanted to ‘thank’ the vendor who sold the fruit.
He announced helium volition acquisition 100,000 bananas from the basal to ‘show appreciation’ of Mr Alam.
Mr Alam is simply a widower from Bangladesh, and moved to the US successful 2007 to unrecorded adjacent his daughters. He works 4 days a week successful 12 hr shifts.
When helium heard what the creation portion with his banana sold for, helium began to cry: ‘I americium a mediocre man. I person ne'er had this benignant of money; I person ne'er seen this benignant of money.’
A spokesperson for Sothebys confirmed the banana was sold for the artwork.
Mr Cattelan heard astir Mr Alam’s ordeal and told the NYT: ‘The absorption of the banana vendor moves maine deeply, underscoring however creation tin resonate successful unexpected and profound ways.
‘However, art, by its nature, does not lick problems — if it did, it would beryllium politics.’
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MORE: Fruit seller who sold £5,000,000 banana won’t get a penny
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