Elevator Technician Accidentally Throws Away Beer Can Artwork

A piece of artwork on display at a Dutch museum made its way to the trash due to a confused employee.

The LAM Museum in the Netherlands is home to All The Good Times We Spent Together by French artist Alexandre Lavet, which looks like two dented beer cans – and that’s exactly what an elevator mechanic thought it was, according to a museum statement.

Another factor that could have led to confusion was the fact that the cans are on display in a glass elevator shaft, “as if they had been left behind during construction,” the museum said.

“The theme of our art collection is food and consumption’, said museum director Sietske van Zanten. ‘We let you look at everyday things in a special way through art. By presenting the works of art differently, that effect is increased. You are surprised time and time again.”

Thankfully, curator Elisah van den Bergh found the artwork in a garbage bag, which hadn’t been taken away yet — and even though the cans did need a bit of a cleaning, they were retrieved intact.

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As for the elevator mechanic, van Zanten said that the museum doesn’t hold anything against him.

“He did his job to the best of his ability,” said the museum director, adding that what happened “is a compliment” to the artist.

As for what’s next, the museum said the artwork will be put back on display, but they’re not saying where it’ll be just yet.

“Where the work will be presented afterwards remains a surprise,” read the statement. “No place is unthinkable for us. We like to continue to amaze visitors.”