Okay, this is clever.
In 2021, Danish artist Jens Haaning was given the equivalent of $84,000 cash to recreate two of his earlier works which illustrate the average wage in Denmark and Austria. The Kunsten Museum in Aalborg, Denmark gave him the cash so he could paste it to the canvases, and here's how it worked out for them.
Yes, the pieces were supposed to be a statement, like, yo, we don't make enough money in this country, here's what $42,000 looks like.
Instead, dude just pocketed the cash. And do you know what he named the art?
"Take the Money and Run."
"The artwork is that I have taken the money," Haaning told DR at the time. "I encourage others who have just as miserable working conditions as I to do the same. If they are being asked to give money to go to work, then take the money and run."
The museum said Haaning broke an agreement on how to use the money.
The artist disputed the allegations.
"It's not theft, it is a breach of contract, and the breach of contract is part of the work," he said at the time.
Well, unfortunately the museum took him to court over this and they won, so now he's being ordered to repay around $82,000 to the museum.
So was this clever? Sure.
But did it work? Nope.
At least it was a cool statement though, while it lasted.
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