Germany: Art Museum Fires Worker for Hanging His Own Painting in Exhibition in Bid to Make Breakthrough

By Madz Dizon

Apr 10, 2024 08:09 AM EDT

Germany: Art Museum Fires Worker for Hanging His Own Painting in Exhibition in Bid to Make Breakthrough — An exhibition visitor photographs the paintings by the late Ukrainian folk artist Maria Prymachenko, during the press show before the opening of her exhibition, "A Tiger Came into the Garden: Art of Maria Prymachenko", at the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, April 3, 2024, two-days before it opens to the public.
(Photo : WOJTEK RADWANSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

A museum employee in Germany was fired for secretly bringing in his own artwork and displaying it on the wall, as reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.

According to the newspaper report, the individual is a 51-year-old man who held a position as a technician at the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich. Additionally, he pursued his passion for art as a freelance artist during his free time.

German Art Museum Worker Sneaks Own Painting Into Gallery

The Pinakothek der Moderne contains an impressive collection of artworks by renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí and Henri Matisse, some of which have been known to fetch prices in the tens of millions of dollars.

According to police, the man believed that sneaking his artwork into the museum would lead to a significant artistic breakthrough.

This incident seems to demonstrate an individual resorting to drastic measures in an attempt to bypass the established procedure.

According to a report from Süddeutsche Zeitung, the employee who has since been terminated had the ability to enter exhibition rooms outside of regular opening hours. His painting was eventually displayed on a gallery wall, but it remains unclear how long it went unnoticed before someone noticed.

The worker was able to reclaim the item once it was found. The former art museum worker was denied access to the premises and was later on terminated.

Previous Similar Incident in Germany

The man is currently under investigation by the police for a less serious offense, specifically property damage. It has been alleged that he drilled two holes into the wall to hang his painting, potentially causing damage to the museum, Daily Mail reported.

Last November, there was an incident in Germany where another artist attempted a similar strategy, but she achieved significantly better results.A painting was discreetly brought into an exhibition at the

Bundeskunsthalle in Bonn by Danai Emmanouilidis. The museum commended the artwork, which has been sold at an auction, with the proceeds being donated to an arts charity that supports refugees.

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