The Danish artist who took the money... and ran
Jens Haaning was given $83,000 to recreate two artworks - but instead sent the museum blank canvasses entitled "Take the Money and Run". He says it is a commentary on low pay.
When the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art decided to set up an exhibition on the modern world of work, it asked the Danish artist Jens Haaning to recreate two of his works for it - frames stuffed with banknotes representing how much an average worker could earn in a year in Austria or Denmark.
They loaned him around 534,000 kroner ($83,000) in notes to make the pieces, but when museum staff opened the box he sent them, they found only two blank canvasses with a new title: "Take the Money and Run".
The artist says the canvasses, which are now on display at the gallery, are a commentary on poor wages.
But the museum director, Lasse Anderson, says they'd really like their money back:
"He's stirred up my curatorial staff, and he also stirred me up a bit, but I also had a laugh because it was really humouristic. But on the other side I think Jens has also broken the bargain... It's the Museum's money and we have a contract saying the money will be back on January 16th."
(Photo: Gallery visitors stand in front of Jens Haaning's "Take the Money and Run". Credit: Henning Bagger / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP)
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