(curiosity sake) does anyone here feel this person is being unfairly treated?

... sorry you weren't amused.

at the same time my sympathies for the joker ....

... a reasonable piece. But if I got caught and fired - well that's on me and I wouldn't have risked my job if it were too much to risk.

I have no sympathy for brave acts, only respect and admiration.

I get the museum's point, too. With some people claiming 40% of museum art to be faked, wrongly attributed, and the tax scams that goes along with donated high dollar pieces, I get their need to maintain the integrity of the collection.

I think this is an interesting intersection of conversations we need to have regarding art: what is art, what is the value of art (figuratively and cashwise), who's an artist, what right in choosing what is catalogued and what isn't should anyone not in acquisitions should have, and whether a stronger public voice on these issues is important.

one of my 'problems' here - is in the (what I see as) obvious lack of respect for the institution - and by extension their 'product'.

Now I have no idea - perhaps they are not entitled to any degree of respect? But in that case, perhaps the thing to do is take one's leave .. ? But it seems clearly disrespectful (and kind of dog in the manger) - to be pranking (and undermining?) that institution, while accepting a wage and being part of the same? Also venture that the individual in focus probably didn't spend a moment on any such consideration ...

..it's helpful to realize what you might feel if you were the employer.