HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- On the eve of what was to become the biggest sale ever of a Chinese contemporary painting, Trevor Simon wanted to get the word out about "Execution," a painting he had hidden from everybody.



The painting had been stored in a  London warehouse for more than a decade after arriving from Hong Kong.



"Not a single person in the world had seen it other than me for more than a decade," said the 36-year-old investment banking strategist by phone from London on Thursday. That includes his mother and the woman he loves.



Beijing artist Yue Minjun's painting, inspired by the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square in 1989, sold for 2.9 million pounds ($5.9 million) Friday night in London. The sale exceeded the 2.15 million pounds ($4.37 million) paid in June for the previous record, Yue's "The Pope."



Simon remembers seeing the oil painting at Manfred Schoeni's gallery in Hong Kong during the late 1990s and how it fascinated him at first sight. "As soon as I saw it, my whole self changed," he said.



"I realized that this stood for everything that was going on at the time, so I was stunned into silence literally. I saw what was happening in China. I was rising in banking, and I saw an execution of people who were smiling.



"I saw that was what was going on in banking."



Schoeni and Simon were already on friendly terms, and Schoeni had wanted to show him "Execution," which had been covered up.



But when Simon insisted he wanted the painting, he recalled Schoeni telling him it wasn't going anywhere and was not for sale. But Simon said he would not leave and remembered saying: " 'Fine, have a drink with me.' And maybe I loosened his head a bit. After a couple hours, I struck a deal."



A junior investment banker in his 20s at the time, Simon would spend $250,000 Hong Kong dollars ($32,200), or two-thirds of his annual salary, on "Execution." The painting reflected what he felt was going on in the world in which he worked: a soulless place.



"While you can apply a good mind, the job eats your life. You spend 14 hours in the markets. A week in Paris, a week in London running around. No life. My girlfriend didn't want to be with me: 'I can't have you.'" She'd leave him and has since become engaged to someone else, he said.



"It was not only an image of an execution of characters in front of the walls of Tiananmen, but an execution of me," he said, describing himself as "committed to this painting."



Under the terms of the deal he struck with Schoeni, the painting was to be "out of sight for five years" and shipped to London, Simon explained.



He described the painting -- at 3 meters (10 feet) wide and 1.5 meters (5 feet) high -- as "monumental," "physical," and "like a wall."



He put "Execution" in a box, shipped it out of Hong Kong to London. "And it hasn't moved since that day. It's in a crusty warehouse behind a main road."



He finds a key distinction between "Execution" and Francisco de Goya's "The Third of May, 1808: The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid" and Edouard Manet's "The Execution of the Emperor Maximilien of Mexico."



In those, he said, "that's murder, true assassination of a political figure. But here [with "Execution"], it's far more potent. Because they're killed by culture."



The laughing was a "response to unimaginable persecution," he said.



"You don't know what the hell else to do. You're nervous. You're not laughing, 'Ha ha hee hee.
HONG KONG , China ( CNN ) -- On the eve of what was to become the biggest sale ever of a Chinese contemporary painting , Trevor Simon wanted to get the word out about " Execution , " a painting he had hidden from everybody . The painting had been stored in a London warehouse for more than a decade after arriving from Hong Kong . " Not a single person in the world had seen it other than me for more than a decade , " said the 36-year - old investment banking strategist by phone from London on Thursday . That includes his mother and the woman he loves . Beijing artist Yue Minjun 's painting , inspired by the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square in 1989 , sold for 2.9 million pounds ( $ 5.9 million ) Friday night in London . The sale exceeded the 2.15 million pounds ( $ 4.37 million ) paid in June for the previous record , Yue 's " The Pope . " Simon remembers seeing the oil painting at Manfred Schoeni 's gallery in Hong Kong during the late 1990s and how it fascinated him at first sight . " As soon as I saw it , my whole self changed , " he said . " I realized that this stood for everything that was going on at the time , so I was stunned into silence literally . I saw what was happening in China . I was rising in banking , and I saw an execution of people who were smiling . " I saw that was what was going on in banking . " Schoeni and Simon were already on friendly terms , and Schoeni had wanted to show him " Execution , " which had been covered up . But when Simon insisted he wanted the painting , he recalled Schoeni telling him it was n't going anywhere and was not for sale . But Simon said he would not leave and remembered saying : " ' Fine , have a drink with me . ' And maybe I loosened his head a bit . After a couple hours , I struck a deal . " A junior investment banker in his 20s at the time , Simon would spend $ 250,000 Hong Kong dollars ( $ 32,200 ) , or two - thirds of his annual salary , on " Execution . " The painting reflected what he felt was going on in the world in which he worked : a soulless place . " While you can apply a good mind , the job eats your life . You spend 14 hours in the markets . A week in Paris , a week in London running around . No life . My girlfriend did n't want to be with me : ' I ca n't have you . ' " She 'd leave him and has since become engaged to someone else , he said . " It was not only an image of an execution of characters in front of the walls of Tiananmen , but an execution of me , " he said , describing himself as " committed to this painting . " Under the terms of the deal he struck with Schoeni , the painting was to be " out of sight for five years " and shipped to London , Simon explained . He described the painting -- at 3 meters ( 10 feet ) wide and 1.5 meters ( 5 feet ) high -- as " monumental , " " physical , " and " like a wall . " He put " Execution " in a box , shipped it out of Hong Kong to London . " And it has n't moved since that day . It 's in a crusty warehouse behind a main road . " He finds a key distinction between " Execution " and Francisco de Goya 's " The Third of May , 1808 : The Execution of the Defenders of Madrid " and Edouard Manet 's " The Execution of the Emperor Maximilien of Mexico . " In those , he said , " that 's murder , true assassination of a political figure . But here [ with " Execution " ] , it 's far more potent . Because they 're killed by culture . " The laughing was a " response to unimaginable persecution , " he said . " You do n't know what the hell else to do . You 're nervous . You 're not laughing , ' Ha ha hee hee .
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Trevor Simon
Trevor Simon