Art mistaken for trash: Museum saves valuable exhibit in time
A mechanic servicing elevators at the LAM Museum in Lisse discarded an artwork titled "All the Good Times We Spent Together." According to the Guardian newspaper portal, the man mistook it for ordinary trash because, at first glance, it looked like two crushed beer cans. Unaware of the exhibit's value, the worker was performing his regular duties.
9 October 2024 11:09
Although the installation may seem insignificant on the floor, the LAM Museum explained that the cans were hand-painted using acrylic paints, which "required a lot of time and effort to create," an institution representative emphasized.
However, the new mechanic, who had just started working, was unaware of the object's artistic value. He assumed the cans were leftovers from visitors that needed to be thrown away.
Curator saves artwork from landfill
The artwork was saved at the last moment when it was about to be sent to the landfill. The exhibition curator, Elisah van den Bergh, noticed the installation was missing and immediately began searching for it. In a short time, she found the cans in a trash bag. Thanks to her quick reaction, the unique piece was preserved.
The museum spokeswoman, Froukje Budding, stated that the institution is not making any claims against the mechanic. "He was just doing his job," Budding added.
Unusual exhibit locations
The LAM Museum is known for placing its exhibits in unexpected locations to surprise and engage visitors. The spokeswoman explained that placing the cans in the elevator was meant to be one of those unconventional moves. The museum director, Sietske van Zanten, clarified that the art displayed at LAM aims to inspire people to look at everyday objects differently.
After the unfortunate incident, "All the Good Times We Spent Together" returned to the exhibition, but this time in a more traditional location—on a pedestal. Meanwhile, the museum is considering a new location for the exhibit in the future.
Art and unfortunate incidents
The incident in Lisse is not isolated in the world of modern art. A similar event occurred in 2023 when a hungry man ate a banana that was part of Maurizio Cattelan's installation at a gallery in Seoul, reported the Polish News Agency (PAP). Also, in 2011, at the Ostwall Museum in Germany, a cleaner destroyed an artwork worth nearly 1.2 million Canadian dollars, thinking it required thorough cleaning.
