Danish conceptual artist Jens Haaning tried to give the museum blank canvases, passing them off as paintings called “Take the Money and Run,” writes the New York Post.
The Kunsten Museum of Contemporary Art in Aalborg gave Haaning about half a million Danish kroner to create new conceptual paintings. Instead, the artist presented museum representatives with two untouched canvases, called “paintings.”
The museum staff, however, did not appreciate the creativity and filed a lawsuit against the artist demanding a refund. Haaning, in his defense, states that he did not steal the money, but violated the contract because it was part of the work and fits into the concept of average annual earnings.
Previously, Haaning created two canvases depicting, according to his idea, the average annual incomes of the British and Danes. Banknotes of various denominations were simply stuck to the canvas. The museum staff hoped that this time the artist would create something equally creative and conceptual, but their expectations were deceived.
