Shah Alam expressed his dismay at receiving only 35 cents from the sale of the banana used in Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian," which sold for $5.2 million at Sotheby's. "I got 35 cents. The other guy got $6 million," he lamented, showcasing his feeling of loss amidst the immense value attributed to his simple piece of fruit. The astounding amount earned by the art piece left him shocked and feeling undervalued.
Expressing disbelief, Alam stated, "It is beyond my imagination," as he reflected on how a banana from his cart was transformed into a multi-million-dollar artwork. Despite his hard work selling fruit in New York, making $12 an hour, he felt gutted knowing the extent of profit gained from something he sold so cheaply.
Alam described his emotional state when learning about the auction, saying, "I have never had this kind of money; I have never seen this kind of money." His tears echoed both his disbelief and the stark contrast between his simple life as a fruit vendor and the luxury he was adjacent to through the art world.
In response to the sale, Justin Sun offered a generous gesture to Alam, proposing to buy 100,000 bananas from his stand to distribute for free worldwide. Sun stated on social media, "To thank Mr. Shah Alam, I’ve decided to buy 100,000 bananas from his stand. These will be available free to anyone who shows a valid ID, while supplies last," indicating an attempt to raise Alam's visibility and support his small business.
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