Danish stole half a million from museums as "art projects"

A large and a small frame with framed banknotes that would represent a Danish and an Austrian annual income, respectively - the Museum of Art in Aalborg thought that the work Take the money and run would consist of.

But when the museum opened the packages from the artist Jens Haaning, there were only empty glass frames.

Snopet, the museum thought, especially since it had lent the 534,000 Danish kroner that would sit in the frames.

- The work is that half a million is missing, says the artist Jens Haaning to Danish P1.

According to the agreement, the money would be returned after the end of the exhibition, but that will not be the case.

- No, it will not be.

The work is that I have taken the money, he says.

Contract breach agency

According to Haaning, the work is a protest against the compensation terms that the museum offered, writes Omni.

Lasse Andersson, head of Kunsten, tells Danmarks Radio that Haaning will not be allowed to keep the money.

- It is not theft, but it is a breach of contract and the breach of contract is part of the work, he says.

Andersson does not want to go into whether you will report Haaning to the police when the exhibition ends in January if the money has not been returned then.