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An artist receives money from the museum – and returns white canvases. After this expensive fun, the Danish artist Jens Haaning (58) must pay back around 66,000 euros to a museum.
Flashback: Haaning received around 72,000 euros in banknotes in 2021. The artist then had to use the bills on a white canvas for two works of art about power and inequality. But instead of two exhibitions, he sent back blank canvases to the museum management.
“The trick was that I took the money,” he later told Danish media. His project was intended as a statement about the “miserable working conditions” in Denmark and Austria. He gave it the name “Take the Money and Run”.
Compensation for not working
After a long legal battle, a court in Copenhagen ruled that Haaning must repay the amount. However, he may keep a portion for expenses. These include the artist’s fee for the “finished artwork” and installation costs. When two empty frames are delivered, it is not entirely clear where something should be mounted. The museum had demanded that Haaning repay the entire amount.
Despite the long legal battle, the affair was also handled with a touch of humor. Museum director Lasse Andersson told the British BBC in 2021 that he laughed out loud when he first saw the two blank canvases. Although Haaning had not fulfilled the museum’s brief, Andersson decided to exhibit the white walls. “It upset my curatorial team and me a little bit, but I also laughed because it was really funny.”
Many visitors came just because of the screens
In the meantime, Haaning does not want to comment further on the verdict. He admitted to “dr.dk” that the action had been good for his work, but had also put him in an unpleasant position where he did not know how to react in some situations.
According to the artist’s statements, the museum ultimately benefited from the high-profile affair: “As a result, the museum earned much more money than it invested in the beginning.” (An)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
