Mechanic's blunder turns museum artwork into near-trash mishap
A mechanic servicing elevators at the LAM Museum in Lisse mistakenly discarded an artwork titled "All The Good Times We Spent Together." According to The Guardian, the mechanic confused the piece for ordinary trash, as it initially appeared to be just two crushed beer cans. Unaware of the exhibit's significance, the worker performed his routine duties.
7:02 AM EDT, October 9, 2024
Although the installation might look like an insignificant object on the floor, the LAM Museum clarified that the cans were meticulously hand-painted with acrylic paints, which "required a lot of time and effort to create," a museum representative emphasized.
However, the newly hired mechanic was unaware of the object's artistic value. He assumed the cans were leftover trash from visitors.
Curator saves artwork from landfill
The artwork was saved at the last moment before being sent to the landfill. The exhibition curator, Elisah van den Bergh, noticed the installation was missing and immediately began searching for it. She soon found the cans in a trash bag. Thanks to her prompt reaction, the unique piece was preserved.
The museum's spokeswoman, Froukje Budding, stated that the institution is not pursuing any actions 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 intended as one of these unconventional moves. The museum director, Sietske van Zanten, clarified that the art displayed at LAM aims to inspire people to view everyday objects differently.
After the unfortunate incident, "All The Good Times We Spent Together" was 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. Additionally, in 2011, at the Ostwall Museum in Germany, a cleaner destroyed an artwork worth nearly 700,000 pounds, believing it required thorough cleaning.
