Danh Vō Proposes Sarcastic Artwork to Collector Bert Kreuk Following Court Order

Artist Danh Vō has agreed to comply with a court order requiring him to create a new 'large and impressive' work for collector Bert Kreuk within a year, for which Kreuk will pay $350,000. This stems from a lawsuit filed by Kreuk in September 2014 after Vō failed to deliver an installation for the exhibition Transforming the Known at The Hague's Gemeentemuseum. Vō is appealing the decision but made a sarcastic proposal in a letter published by Artnet, referencing his father Phung Vo's writing, which has been part of his practice since 2009. He suggested a site-specific wall work for Kreuk's residence in Panama and room 38 of the Gemeentemuseum, featuring a line from the film 'The Exorcist': 'SHOVE IT UP YOUR ASS, YOU FAGGOT'. Vō demanded a response by Wednesday 22 July, 2015, and disputed claims by Gemeentemuseum director Benno Temple, chief curator Hans Janssen, and art advisor Theo Schols, alleging false witness declarations. Kreuk responded to Artnet, calling the case bizarre and criticizing Vō's behavior as unprofessional, contrary to the court's instruction to normalize relations. The exhibition Transforming the Known showcased Kreuk's collection, and Vō's work was intended for the 56th Venice Biennale 2015 Danish Pavilion. The legal dispute highlights tensions in art commissions and contractual obligations in the contemporary art market.