Munich's Pinakothek der Moderne is famous for its contemporary masterpieces made by modern masters like Pablo Picasso, Franz Marc, and Oskar Schlemmer.
That said, visitors of the institution noticed a curious new addition hung among the ranks of the said masterpieces: an employee's own work, which now finds its creator stripped from his post in the art museum.
One of the Recent 'Reverse Art Heist' Cases in Germany
The piece was purportedly displayed alongside the 20th-century treasures without permission, according to a report by the German publication Süddeutsche Zeitung, dated last Monday, April 8.
Citing police investigation, the outlet said the artist was a 51-year-old staff member from the institution's technical services department. He had allegedly thought doing such a stunt within museum premises would "open doors" for him as a creative.
Other details of the incident stay obscured, with the German publication reporting that not even the administrators from the museum were sure how long the piece was showcased.
"The supervisors notice something like this immediately," said Pinakothek der Moderne spokesperson Tine Nehler.
As for criminal offenses, the suspected worker would likely not face any major charges and would only be subjected to minor infractions relating to his drilling of two holes in an otherwise spotless wall.
However, the offender was aptly punished by the institution. He was terminated as a museum employee and was consequently banned from ever entering the Pinakothek der Moderne premises in the future.
This outcome was in stark contrast to a similar incident that happened in the German city of Bonn a few months back.
As per an X (formerly Twitter) post made by the affected museum, the Bundeskunsthalle, they noticed that a painting was covertly placed on display by a visitor.
Unlike the Munich institution, the Bonn art museum saw the humor in the incident, writing on X: "We think it's funny and we want to get to know the artist. So get in touch! There's no trouble. Word of honor."
