Dutch Muesum Employee Mistakes Crushed Beer Can Art For Trash and Throws It Away

Turning trash into fine art is nothing new. But what happens when only some people at the gallery know something that seems like rubbish is a statement on camaraderie, pollution, commercialism, or whatever else the artist intended?

Sometimes, that trash-inspired art gets tossed in the garbage.

That was the case recently in Lisse, Netherlands, at the LAM museum. LAM’s collection features artwork with a food and consumption theme. One piece, “All the good times we spent together,” is a set of two dented beer cans placed next to one another. Created by Brussels-based artist Alexandre Lavet, the piece is a tribute to the streets of Brussels, friends’ studios and apartments, parties, and the common everyday items that bring us together.