Why continue to pose closed questions about art?
The same article gives the answer, the cans are "art" depending on who looks at them and of course on who created them.

From what I read, the artist, the museum and the museum technician recognize it as art.

But, for the man who cleaned, Firstpost and CNN were not, because they evaluated it from different categories.

That happens, you say it well, my friend, the artist conceived an intention when dedicating himself to his cans. The curator who installed the piece in the elevator did not foresee the possibility that a museum staff member would not classify the piece as art.

Regarding the photos you show us, it happens, if you find them in a junk yard, the "garbage" category will predominate. But, if you make an installation in the same place, giving the piece exhibition value. Inviting you to the "Alice in Junkland exhibition" or "sculptures inspired by Tim Burton" would change things. I would like to be the curator of that fantastic tour.

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Aside from that. The pieces are great, I liked them all, I saw Alice's smiling cat and other characters in my imagination.

Naive art?. Products of an employee's leisure time? Masterpieces of an artist, lost in a yard? Solid waste recycling practices?

Let people call it whatever they want... You've already discovered them, enjoyed them, and appreciate them to the point of wanting to take them all home... Honey, that's art.