But just hours later, the aspiring artist’s hopes for his big break were dimmed when his stunt instead landed him in big trouble with his employer – and the police.
The 51-year-old exhibition technician and self-proclaimed “freelance artist” smuggled one of his paintings into the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Germany, on February 26 and hung it on a wall in one of the galleries, according to German tabloid Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Munich police. After security discovered the newest addition to the museum’s collections, they promptly took down the display and the man was fired.
“A technical employee of one of the four museums represented in the Pinakothek der Moderne, who had not previously attracted attention in this regard, mounted the object in an exhibition room of the Sammlung Moderne Kunst outside opening hours,” Tine Nehler said.
“As a result of the incident, he has been banned from the museum until further notice and his employment will not be continued.”