Unsuspecting of what lay ahead, Spalburg pulled out his TRUT sweater and went to the Stedelijk. „I went to the last day of the exhibition of artist Remy Jungerman. And then it happened,” said the comedian on Facebook. Suddenly a security man stood in front of him and asked him to ‘stand aside’. What was the intention behind that sweater, the attendant wanted to know. ‘Why?’, Spalburg reacted in surprise. “It says big TRUT on it,” the man said. ‘Yeah so…???’
The museum had received a complaint, the attendant explained to Spalburg. Someone was obviously offended. “My mouth fell open. Was this a joke?” the comedian responded, but the attendant remained dead serious. “It’s just a brand,” I said. The museum employee then asked if he could photograph the sweater, whereupon Spalburg again thought the man was joking. “But he already had his phone ready.” He posed to avoid further discussion. “I put my finger on the label and it clicked.”
Policy
The attendant then apologized and the comedian was able to continue his museum visit. With sweater, but somewhat disconcerted about the bizarre developments. Spalburg: „I felt myself getting heavier and heavier, I got a knot in my stomach. What started as a positive and relaxed Sunday afternoon ended in a shitty experience. Urban, SERIOUS? A place of free expression that takes people apart and appeals to their choice of clothing?” And then again, according to Spalburg, a piece of clothing that was specially designed as a protest against the gossip in society. “I can’t tell you how low my pants have dropped down this afternoon.”
He has since submitted an official complaint to the museum, Spalburg said two days after the incident. “As a museum of modern and contemporary art and education, we believe in freedom of expression. It is our hospitality policy to take every complaint seriously. There were female visitors who found the word ‘bitch’ offensive. That is why we checked the background of the sweater,” says the Stedelijk in a response.