A Danish conceptual artist has been directed by a court to reimburse funds he received after submitting empty frames as his commissioned artwork.
Jens Haaning, known for his exploration of power and inequality, was tasked with recreating two previous works that symbolized average incomes using banknotes for the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art in Aalborg, Denmark, according to The Guardian.
The museum extended a loan of approximately $76,000 from its reserves for the project and paid an artist’s fee of about $3,700. However, upon receiving the completed works, museum staff were surprised to find two vacant frames titled “Take the Money and Run.”
Despite putting the empty frames on display, Haaning refused to return the borrowed funds, prompting the museum to pursue legal action. In a recent ruling, a court in Copenhagen decreed that Haaning must repay the loan, but would still receive his artist’s fee.