Sticking it to the man: Danish artist Jens Haaning ordered to repay €67,000 to museum after stunt

Haaning, who is known for his artwork that takes purpose astatine income inequality, migration and moving conditions, was hired by the Kunsten Museum to recreate 1 of his astir celebrated pieces from 2007. The artwork that the depository was expecting was expected to beryllium a canvas lined with krone banknotes to correspond antithetic household incomes successful Denmark.

When the depository received the artwork successful 2021, they were amazed to find 2 ample blank canvases, titled “Take the Money and Run.”

The Kunsten Museum aboriginal displayed the blank canvasses but asked Haaning to instrumentality the wealth arsenic helium had breached their contract.

When helium refused, the depository took him to court. The ruling has present travel down, and Haaning indispensable repay the depository the €67,000 assistance money. However, helium is capable to support the workers interest that amounted to astir €3,500.

In an earlier interrogation with a Danish vigor station, Haaning stated that the stunt was a connection connected moving conditions and however helium believes that workers should bash akin things if their situations are arsenic unspeakable arsenic his own.

“If they’re sitting successful immoderate shitty occupation and not getting paid, and are really being asked to wage wealth to spell to work, past drawback what you tin and bushed it.”

Past connection pieces

Haaning’s connection portion is portion of a agelong database of artists who person highlighted the often absurd hypocrisy and elitism successful the creation world.

One of the much memorable instances of this benignant of self-reflection came successful 2018 erstwhile Banksy’s “Girl With Balloon” went for merchantability astatine Sotheby’s for €1.28 million.

After it was sold, the portion dilatory slid from the framework and was shredded into strips by a instrumentality installed successful the framework itself by Banksy. 

Despite the 'ruined' artwork, it went connected to beryllium sold for the archetypal asking price.