Museum Employee Threw Two Beer Cans into the Trash: They Were Works of Art

Sometimes you can find a real work of art in a garbage can. This is exactly what happened in a museum in the Netherlands.

Museums around the world are installing advanced security measures and systems to protect themselves from thieves and vandals. However, danger to artworks can also arise from the carelessness or ignorance of some employees. A curious incident recently occurred in one of the major museums in the Netherlands. Located in the city of Lisse, the Dutch contemporary art museum LAM houses an important collection of works by artists from the past decades. Recently, one of the exhibits at this museum was in danger of disappearing forever, as it was thrown into a garbage bag.

The museum has a policy of displaying artworks in unconventional locations to create a direct "dialogue" with visitors. "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," said Sietske van Zanten, the museum's director.

One day, one of the museum's curators couldn't find a work by French artist Alexandre Lavet in its designated spot. Titled "All the Good Times We Spent Together," this piece consists of a pair of beer can-shaped objects that the artist meticulously hand-painted using acrylic paints, with every detail painstakingly reproduced.

Luckily, the pieces were found in a garbage bag, ready to go to the landfill. It turned out that the museum's elevator technician saw them in the glass box of the elevator and threw them in the trash, thinking they were just empty cans left by a team of construction workers who had renovated the museum. The museum management did not intend to punish the employee, as he was only a temporary substitute unfamiliar with the exhibits' specifics. According to museum representatives, this mistaken action confirmed the perfection with which the cans were painted, as he could not distinguish them from standard cans.

This incident has sparked discussions within the art community about the importance of educating museum staff about the artworks on display. Many believe that providing comprehensive training can help prevent similar mishaps in the future.