Museum’s ‘beer can’ artwork so lifelike it was thrown in a bin

‘One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come up.’

A worker at a Dutch museum took Macklemore’s lyrics, from the 2012 hit ‘Thrift Shop’, too seriously.

An art piece in The LAM museum in Lisse, the Netherlands, was recently found in the bin after the lift technician mistook it for rubbish.

This mistake is somewhat understandable – as the work looks like two empty cans of the Belgium beer Jupiler.

Titled ‘All the good times we spent together’, the art created by French artist Alexandre Lavet was exhibited in a glass lift – as if left behind by construction workers.

The meticulously hand-painted cans have dents to make them look like real discarded cans. 

So, it is only understandable why the mechanic ‘mistook it for abandoned litter’ and chucked it.

In a way, this is only a compliment to Lavet’s work, with which he pays tribute to ‘Brussels streets, artists’ studios, friends’ flats, parties, exhibition openings at galleries and artist-run spaces’.

A thorough search was launched when curator Elisah van den Bergh realised the cans were missing.

She eventually discovered the artwork in a bin bag, ready for disposal. 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.

The LAM museum is renowned for showcasing its international art collection not only on walls and plinths but also in unconventional locations.

Sietske van Zanten, the museum’s director, said: ‘The theme of our collection is food and consumption.

‘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.’

It was confirmed the lift technician did not get into trouble ‘as he was just doing his job in good faith’.

He was covering for the museum’s regular technician, who is well acquainted with the building and its exhibits, the museum said.

Zanten added: ‘In a way, it is a testament to the effectiveness of Alexandre Lavet’s art.’

Museums have suffered a number of incidents with artworks in recent months. In August, a boy, aged four, accidentally smashed 3,500-year-old vase in the city of Haifa, in Israel.

More recently, a vandal broke a sculpture by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei during the private opening of his exhibition in Italy.

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