Richard Artschwager was a skilled piano player, and he often described his work process in musical terms—as
riffs and
variations of ideas and observations. Some of his
sculptures are based on organs and pianos. Unlike most real organs, which stand on their own in space, this organ hangs on the wall. Its foot pedals, five giant keys, and five flattened pipes represent only part of the whole musical instrument. It would be impossible to play—for instance, the foot pedals project forward, but they are too close to the keyboard and the keys and pipes don’t actually work. A main feature of this instrument is its silence.
