In a rather comical mix-up that could have been a scene straight out of a sitcom, a Dutch lift mechanic inadvertently threw away a piece of art, mistaking it for rubbish. The incident, which occurred at the LAM museum in Lisse, Netherlands, serves as a reminder that one person's trash can indeed be another's treasure, especially in the world of modern art.

The artwork in question, a 1988 creation by Alexandre Lavet titled 'All the good times we spent together,' is composed of two dented aluminium tins hand-painted with acrylics to mimic the appearance of discarded beer cans. The piece was strategically placed inside the museum's glass lift shaft, a spot that cleverly suggested construction workers left them behind. This intentional placement was part of the artwork's charm but also set the stage for the unfortunate misunderstanding.

The lift technician, who was filling in for the regular technician more familiar with the museum's collection, assumed the cans were debris left by workers and promptly disposed of them. It was when curator Elisah van den Bergh noticed the missing cans that the museum staff realised what had happened. After a frantic search, the cans were found in a bin bag, thankfully before they were permanently lost to the garbage heap.

An artwork by Alexandre Lavet was mistakenly thrown away by a Dutch lift mechanic, who thought it was rubbish. Credit: Firstpost / YouTube

The museum's response to this blunder was gracious and understanding. They acknowledged that the technician was simply doing his job and that no blame would be placed on him. In fact, the museum director, Sietske van Zanten, suggested that the incident was a testament to the effectiveness of Lavet's art, which aims to challenge perceptions of everyday objects.

Following the mishap, the cans were cleaned and given a new, more prominent home on a plinth at the museum's entrance. This move was not only to prevent future confusion but also to give the artwork its deserved 'moment in the spotlight,' as van den Bergh put it. Lavet's piece, which symbolises the importance of shared memories and experiences, even those as seemingly trivial as enjoying a couple of beers with friends, now had a story of its own to tell.

The LAM museum, which focuses on the theme of food and consumption, uses art to encourage visitors to see everyday objects in a new light. By placing artworks in unexpected locations, the museum aims to enhance visitor experience and keep them engaged and curious.

This story is a fascinating example of how art can intersect with daily life in the most unexpected ways. It also serves as a reminder to all of us, especially those of us who appreciate the nuances of art and history, to look twice before we leap to conclusions about what may or may not be valuable.

Credit: YouTube​

Key Takeaways

• A Dutch lift mechanic mistakenly threw away an artwork by Alexandre Lavet, thinking it was rubbish.
• The piece titled 'All the good times we spent together' was recovered intact in the bin bag before disposal.
• The artwork has since been placed on a more obvious display at the LAM museum's entrance.
• The museum does not blame the technician, acknowledging the incident as a testament to the effectiveness of Lavet's work.

So, dear readers of the Seniors Discount Club, have you ever encountered a situation where something ordinary turned out to be extraordinary? Or perhaps you've heard of similar amusing art mix-ups? Share your stories with us in the comments below, and let's celebrate the quirky side of art and life's little surprises!

 

[janj]

rubbish

 

[mOiOz]

Reminds me of a celebration for a young man in the 1980s, that my extended family were invited to.

They arrived at the hall and were greeted by huge piles of rubbish consisting mainly of boxes, cans, large pieces of timber and various bins, before entering a darkened, bright green, grotty-looking, but clean, tunnel.
After checking the address and seeing other guests arrive, they were relieved to confirm it was the right venue.

Some of you may remember how famous the Ninja Turtles were in this era. Well, that was the theme of the function, but didn't end there. Almost everything was coloured bright green, even most of the food!
It turned out, however, to be a wonderful function and certainly a very memorable one!

 

[Littleboy8]

Artwhat a load of rubbish I would have chucked it away also

 

[Veggiepatch]

I have seen worse purported to be "art".

Try Christo's wrapping of a part of Botany Bay in plastic sheet and Jackson Pollock's "Blue Poles".

 

[Littleboy8]

I have seen worse purported to be "art".

Try Christo's wrapping of a part of Botany Bay in plastic sheet and Jackson Pollock's "Blue Poles".

I love the “blue poles “ painting but not worth $500 million buckeroos and the plastic wrapping was a fun idea but that’s just me.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I love the “blue poles “ painting but not worth $500 million buckeroos and the plastic wrapping was a fun idea but that’s just me.

I wonder what reaction Christo would get today if he tried to pull the same stunt. He did that "thing" back in 1969.

 

[novezar]

All I can see is 10 cents sitting there. i.e. if you cashed 'em in at one of those cash in return outlets.

 

[CliffE]

In the mid ‘60’s growing up in South Africa, my stepfather was an accomplished artist. He decided to semi retire to the south coast of Natal to a little place named Saint Michaels on Sea. There was an area of the beach where the local artists would congregate and paint. Once a week an eccentric woman would arrive in a chauffeur driven car wearing furs dripping with jewelry and checkout the paintings, buy some and criticize most. BTW it was summer and 28 to 30 degrees C.
One thing any artist HATES is a person breathing over their shoulder while painting, one day it was my stepfather’s turn and he decided to get back at her on behalf of all the artists there. He pre-prepared a blank canvas with the faintest of faint thin grey line, about 8 inches long, across the centre of the canvas.
A lookout said she had just pulled up so my stepfather got the “blank” canvas out, put 400Rand price tag on it and pretended to paint on the canvas with a dry brush.

She breezed up and said “What are you going to paint, my man?”

Stepfather replied “It’s finished my dear, can’t you see what it is? I’m just putting a final varnish on it.”

She “It’s a blank canvas, are you trying to make a fool of me!?”

Stepfather “Yes, but if you look closely you can see what it is.”

She “I can’t see what it is, tell me!”

Stepfather “It’s fairly obvious, everyone here can see it. It’s an Eskimo being chased by a polar bear!”

Everyone burst out laughing, she went red in the face and left in a huff never to be seen the rest of that summer or the next.

A few months later I answered the door to a very smartly dressed gentleman who asked my stepfather if he still had canvas, which we did. After him having a huge belly laugh at the story he said he was the husband of the woman that visited the artists and he is prepared to pay 600Rand to hang it in a prominent position in their house just to piss off his wife and in future he will visit the artists and buy paintings and request commissions

My stepfather received several commissions from him.

Now that’s what I call art! an Eskimo being chased by a polar bear!

 

[mOiOz]

In the mid ‘60’s growing up in South Africa, my stepfather was an accomplished artist. He decided to semi retire to the south coast of Natal to a little place named Saint Michaels on Sea. There was an area of the beach where the local artists would congregate and paint. Once a week an eccentric woman would arrive in a chauffeur driven car wearing furs dripping with jewelry and checkout the paintings, buy some and criticize most. BTW it was summer and 28 to 30 degrees C.
One thing any artist HATES is a person breathing over their shoulder while painting, one day it was my stepfather’s turn and he decided to get back at her on behalf of all the artists there. He pre-prepared a blank canvas with the faintest of faint thin grey line, about 8 inches long, across the centre of the canvas.
A lookout said she had just pulled up so my stepfather got the “blank” canvas out, put 400Rand price tag on it and pretended to paint on the canvas with a dry brush.

She breezed up and said “What are you going to paint, my man?”

Stepfather replied “It’s finished my dear, can’t you see what it is? I’m just putting a final varnish on it.”

She “It’s a blank canvas, are you trying to make a fool of me!?”

Stepfather “Yes, but if you look closely you can see what it is.”

She “I can’t see what it is, tell me!”

Stepfather “It’s fairly obvious, everyone here can see it. It’s an Eskimo being chased by a polar bear!”

Everyone burst out laughing, she went red in the face and left in a huff never to be seen the rest of that summer or the next.

A few months later I answered the door to a very smartly dressed gentleman who asked my stepfather if he still had canvas, which we did. After him having a huge belly laugh at the story he said he was the husband of the woman that visited the artists and he is prepared to pay 600Rand to hang it in a prominent position in their house just to piss off his wife and in future he will visit the artists and buy paintings and request commissions

My stepfather received several commissions from him.

Now that’s what I call art! an Eskimo being chased by a polar bear!

'''
(LOVE IT TO BITS!)

 

[Viellarde]

That's funny!

 

[magpie1]

Forgetting the beer cans incident for a moment....regarding the earlier story about what was found in the Bondi street.......maybe it was a piece of expensive artwork also 'challenging the perception of everyday items' by some modern day artist ? Believe it or not Mr Ripley.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Maybe I can create some art from my recycled bottles . I will carefully squash them and then we will have some amazing art ️

 

[Suzanne rose]

Forgetting the beer cans incident for a moment....regarding the earlier story about what was found in the Bondi street.......maybe it was a piece of expensive artwork also 'challenging the perception of everyday items' by some modern day artist ? Believe it or not Mr Ripley.

Hmmm , good point