A Dutch museum retrieved a mistakenly discarded artwork that looked like beer cans. This showcases the thin line between everyday items and art and highlights the challenges of displaying unconventional art.
A Dutch museum retrieved one of its artworks, which resembles two empty beer cans, after a staff member mistakenly discarded it as trash. The piece, entitled All The Good Times We Spent Together by French artist Alexandre Lavet, may look like two dented beer tins at first glance. However, they are actually meticulously hand-painted with acrylics and "required a lot of time and effort to create," according to the museum.
The artistic value was overlooked by a mechanic, who saw them displayed in an elevator and tossed them into the bin. Froukje Budding, a spokesperson for the LAM museum in Lisse, western Netherlands, told AFP that artworks are often placed in unusual locations, hence the display in an elevator. "We aim to surprise visitors constantly," she said.
Curator Elisah van den Bergh noticed the cans were missing upon returning from a short break. She managed to retrieve them from a trash bag just before they were thrown out. "We have now placed the work in a more conventional location on a plinth, allowing it to rest after its ordeal," Budding commented. She emphasized there were "no hard feelings" towards the mechanic, who was new to the museum. "He was merely doing his job," she remarked.
Sietske van Zanten, the museum's director, stated, "Our art challenges visitors to view everyday objects in a new light." "By situating artworks in unexpected spots, we enhance this experience and keep our visitors alert," added Van Zanten. With this philosophy in mind, the cans are unlikely to remain on their traditional plinth for long. "We need to carefully consider where to place them next," Budding mentioned to AFP.
With AFP
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