A Dutch museum had to retrieve one of its artworks, which included two beer cans, after a staff member threw it in the bin, thinking it was trash.
The artwork All the Good Times We Spent Together by the French artist Alexandre Lavet consists of two dented beer cans on the floor, and a closer look reveals hand-painted acrylic designs on the cans.
The LAM museum in the Netherlands said on its website that Lavet's "beer cans were exhibited inside the museum’s glass lift shaft as if left behind by construction workers" before the lift technician threw them away.
"The museum bears no ill will towards the lift technician who made the mistake. He was covering for the museum’s regular technician, who is well acquainted with the building and its exhibits," the museum explained.
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"He was just doing his job in good faith. In a way, it’s a testament to the effectiveness of Alexandre Lavet’s art," Sietske van Zanten, the museum director, said.
"Our art encourages visitors to see everyday objects in a new light. By displaying artworks in unexpected places, we amplify this experience and keep visitors on their toes.”
The curator, Elisah van den Bergh, realised that the artwork had vanished, and after coming back from a break, a search was launched to find the beer cans, which were discovered in a bin bag ready for disposal.
According to the museum, "miraculously, both cans were found intact. They have been cleaned and temporarily put in a place of honour at the museum entrance, now displayed on a traditional plinth."
"We wanted to give them their moment in the spotlight. We enjoy surprising our visitors, so no space is off-limits,” van den Bergh said.
