LAM Museum artwork narrowly escapes landfill mishap
A mechanic servicing lifts at the LAM Museum in Lisse mistakenly disposed of an artwork entitled "All The Good Times We Spent Together." According to "The Guardian" newspaper portal, the man thought it was mere rubbish as it resembled two crushed beer cans at first glance. Unaware of the exhibit's significance, the worker carried out his usual duties.
9 October 2024 08:29
Although the installation might have appeared as an insignificant item on the floor, the LAM Museum explained that the cans were meticulously hand-painted with acrylic paints, which "required a lot of time and effort to create," a representative emphasised.
However, the new mechanic, who had just begun his role, was unaware of the object's artistic importance. He assumed the cans were discarded by visitors and needed to be thrown away.
Curator saves artwork from landfill
The artwork was rescued at the last moment as it was about to be sent to the landfill. The exhibition curator, Elisah van den Bergh, noticed and promptly searched for the missing installation. Shortly thereafter, she found the cans in a rubbish bag. Thanks to her swift reaction, the unique piece was preserved.
The museum spokeswoman, Froukje Budding, stated that the institution is not making any claims against the mechanic. "He was just doing his job," Budding added.
Unusual exhibit locations
The LAM Museum is renowned for placing its exhibits in unexpected locations to surprise and engage visitors. The spokeswoman explained that placing the cans in the lift was intended as one of those unconventional moves. The museum director, Sietske van Zanten, clarified that the art displayed at LAM aims to inspire people to see everyday objects in a new way.
Following the unfortunate incident, "All The Good Times We Spent Together" was returned to the exhibition, but this time on a plinth —a more traditional spot. Meanwhile, the museum is considering a new location for the exhibit in the future.
Art and unfortunate incidents
The incident in Lisse is not an isolated case in modern art. A similar event occurred in 2023 when a hungry man consumed a banana that was part of Maurizio Cattelan's installation at a gallery in Seoul, reported PAP. Additionally, in 2011, at the Ostwall Museum in Germany, a cleaner destroyed an artwork valued at nearly €835,000, mistakenly believing it needed a thorough cleaning.
