Take the Money and Run

By: MJ Asuncion

What constitutes art? What determines the worth of art or how much an artist gets paid? In the thought-provoking documentary Take the Money and Run by filmmaker Ole Juncker, the controversial piece of the same name spurred an international debate on exactly these questions and more. The story of Danish conceptual, contemporary artist Jens Haaning’s legal battle with Kunsten Museum of Modern Art in Denmark caused chaos around the globe.

Take the Money and Run is a “true heist story” documenting Jens Haaning’s bold decision to deliver two framed blank canvases to Kunsten Museum, after the museum loaned Haaning over half a million kroner (Danish currency), or approximately $84,000 USD, that was supposed to be placed inside the frames. The museum had planned an exhibition about labor conditions and Haaning had promised to remake two of his old pieces incorporating the money. Upon receiving the blank canvases and an email about the terrible working conditions of artists, Kunsten demanded Haaning return the money. Haaning showed no intention of complying and thus the museum promptly opened a civil claim. Is Take the Money and Run a brilliant piece of art by a genius or simple theft by a con artist?

The documentary goes behind the story, painting an intimate portrait of the uncompromising artist during a very turbulent time in his life. The legal case and all the commotion surrounding the art negatively affected Haaning’s mental health. The film sheds light on how his bipolar disorder greatly impacted his life, the difficulties of his childhood and his day-to-day struggles. Take the Money and Run was written and directed by Ole Juncker, who also served as cinematographer. With Haaning often canceling shooting days at the last minute because he didn’t have the energy for it, making the film became too costly to have an acclaimed DP filming, so Juncker shot the entire project himself. This helped form a closer connection between him and Haaning because it was often just the two of them. At first Juncker was mainly focused on the case and the plot, but soon the film developed into an interesting character study and depicted almost like a narrative.

Ole Juncker is a director, producer, and writer known for Menneskedyret (2005), Liebhaverne (2006) and The Most Remote Restaurant in the World (2023). He has an eye for big colorful characters and seeks to make films for a broad audience.

Take the Money and Run took two and half years of shooting with many challenges, but Juncker should be proud of the final result. It evolved into so much more than just the news headline. The documentary is informative and personal and gives a better understanding of the revolutionary artist. Jens Haaning is as unpredictable as he is interesting and he makes for a great protagonist. Though it was a bit of a slow watch, as a creative I enjoyed learning more about Haaning and his radical decision that shook the art world.