Danish artist Jens Haaning ordered to repay museum after submitting blank canvases instead of commissioned work

A Copenhagen court has mandated that artist Jens Haaning return 492,549 kroner to the Kunsten Museum of Modern Art in Aalborg, Denmark. The museum had provided approximately 534,000 kroner for the creation of two artworks intended to incorporate banknotes. Instead of delivering the commissioned pieces, Haaning sent two empty frames to the institution. He defended his actions to DR, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, stating his work titled Take the Money and Run constituted a breach of contract rather than theft. Haaning explicitly encouraged others in poor working conditions to follow his example. ArtReview published commentary from Max Haiven, who supported the artist's provocation and suggested it raises significant questions about artists' status as workers within capitalist systems. The museum had requested full reimbursement of the funds, which Haaning refused. The court's ruling deducted an artist's fee from the total amount originally provided.