%C2%A9 Karl Wirsum
Wood, acrylic paint, cloth, toothbrushes, toy pianoexpand_more
Gift of funds from Mary and Bob Mersky, and Robert and Frances Coulborn Kohler, the Robert C. Winton Fund, and the Dolly J. Fiterman Fundexpand_more 2020.15a-f
This sculpture is actually a working marionette that the artist Karl Wirsum made in the early 1970s. It includes a functioning toy piano that belonged to his daughter Ruby and a handmade “piano player” who is decked out in an outfit Wirsum pieced together. Wirsum has made several working marionettes and puppets as part of his practice as an artist. This one underscores how live music has always been a source of inspiration for him, especially blues and jazz in his hometown of Chicago.
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© Karl Wirsum