Artefact Hunting Turned into 'Art' happening

I guess waiting for the local artefact hunters to hoik some 'luvverly Trezure' for the public to gawp at was just too long for some impatient councillor ('Gold hidden in Scunthorpe art treasure hunt' BBC 12 October 2016). A Scunthorpe Arts Centre is staging a happening called 'Treasured City'.

Five small objects from North Lincolnshire Museum were selected for wax replicas which will be cast in £1,000 worth of 18-carat gold. From February the gold replicas will be hidden for the public to find and keep. Clues for the treasure hunt will be disguised in five paintings which will be on display at the Arts Centre. [...] Bristol-based artist Luke Jerram said: "I like the idea that ancient objects that were once hidden beneath the earth and were discovered and displayed at the museum are now being re-hidden." The exhibition, funded by the Lottery and Arts Council England, will run from 18 February until 29 April.

The artistic message behind 'ancient objects that were once hidden beneath the earth and were discovered and displayed at the museum are now being re-hidden' is not stated. It's probably something like - 'we'll get lots of people in looking at the paintings trying to figure out the clues; some might come in more than once'. All a bit pathetic and dumbdown. Stunts like this have been going on since at least Kit Williams 'Masquerade'.