Munich’s Pinokothek der Moderne museum has fired one of its employees after he was found to have hung one of his own paintings as part of a modern and contemporary art display.
The painting remained on display for an entire day, sharing the gallery with works by artists including Andy Warhol, before being taken down.
The aspiring artist was working as part of the museum’s technical team, and so didn’t raise suspicion from the security staff when he smuggled his own painting into the building, drilled two holes on an empty wall and hung it up. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, the police said the fifty-one year-old employee had acted ‘in the hope of achieving his artistic breakthrough’.
The incident, which dates back to February, was only made public earlier this week. Speaking to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the museum said they would not comment on the painting’s style or subject, so as not to ‘encourage copycat pranksters’.
‘All I can say is that we did not receive any positive feedback on the addition from visitors to the gallery,’ they added.
The Pinakothek is said to have banned the ex-employee from entering its premises, and has filed a criminal complaint against him for wilful damage to property.
