BY JAN M. OLSEN
Updated 7:30 AM EDT, September 27, 2023

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Danish artist who was given a pile of cash by a museum in northern Denmark to create a piece for its exhibition on labor conditions two years ago submitted two empty canvases — titled “Take the Money and Run.” The exhibit caused a stir.

A Danish court ruled last week that Jens Haaning has to repay 492,549 kroner ($69,894 ) to Kunsten Museum in Aalborg for having violated his contract. His lawyer, Peter Schønning, said Wednesday that the contemporary artist is appealing the ruling and declined further comment.

The museum had commissioned Haaning in 2021 to recreate two of his earlier pieces featuring bank notes attached to canvases representing the average annual wage in Denmark and Austria.

See More [AP]

Brownie Bytes Take

I guess Jen’s concept is that art is in the eye of the beholder. He expects viewers to imagine what would be there? He allegedly called it “Work it out.”

Does it seem to you that the art world is awfully full of grifters and scammers? What do you think?