Bisina Somto
Danish conceptual artist Jens Haaning has been ordered by a court to repay a substantial sum of money lent to him by the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art in Aalborg, northern Denmark.
Haaning, whose thought-provoking work delves into themes of power and inequality, found himself at the centre of controversy when he presented empty frames as his commissioned artwork.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe saga began in 2021 when Haaning was commissioned by the museum to recreate two of his earlier works that used a plethora of banknotes to symbolize average incomes. The first piece, “An Average Danish Annual Income,” was originally created in 2007 and featured krone notes affixed to canvas within a frame.
The second artwork, created in 2011, focused on Austrian incomes and utilized euro bills. To bring these pieces to life, the museum extended financial support of approximately 532,000 krone (£61,500) from its reserves and also paid Haaning an artist’s fee of around 40,000 krone.
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However, when the eagerly anticipated artworks arrived and were unpacked by museum staff, they were met with a surprising revelation—two empty frames titled “Take the Money and Run.” Stunned by this unexpected turn of events, the museum decided to take legal action after Haaning refused to return the funds.
In a recent ruling, a Copenhagen court ordered Haaning to repay the borrowed funds to the museum. Despite this, the court maintained that he should still receive his artist’s fee.
Lasse Andersson, the director of the Kunsten Museum, expressed his concerns at the time, highlighting the financial challenges faced by the institution. He stated, “We are not a wealthy museum. … We have to think carefully about how we spend our funds, and we don’t spend more than we can afford.”
Haaning defended his unconventional approach, describing it as an integral part of his artistic process. He explained, “The work is that I have taken their money. It’s not theft. It is a breach of contract, and breach of contract is part of the work.” He even encouraged others facing dire working conditions to follow suit, stating, “If they’re sitting in some lousy job and not getting paid, and are actually being asked to pay money to go to work, then grab what you can and beat it.”
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