A genuine almost working instrument.

One of the first objects to arrive in the Temporary Art Repair Shop as we opened our doors, was this old banjo, brought in by Douglas McGeackie. He told me that his father had bought it second hand more than 90 years ago, so he figured it was a centenarian, and that it had hung on his wall at home since it was passed down to him.It was only an ordinary instrument, and the neck was warped so that it was next to impossible to tune, but it’s age and history made it precious. But it sure wasn’t an artwork or very decorative for that matter, and now Ms McGeackie had insisted for quite a while that the old banjo find another home than in their sitting-room. Douglas wanted to keep it of course, for sentimental reasons, but had a hard time defending his course. Could I be of assistance here?

Casey Miller improvising a blues.

I was in luck here, since a bit later a functioning electric guitar arrived at the Repair Shop (see ManToy, no 44 below), and further, musicianand instrument maker Casey Miller kindly offered to help modernizing the banjo. With a combination of my woodworking skills and Casey’s ability to revamp the electric innards of guitars, together we performed a complicated transplant, giving the old banjo a completely new and functioning electrical heart, that could play when hooked up properly to an amp. Casey performed on it on the opening night, and we hope it has inspired Douglas to continue playing it and defending it’s rightful place in the sitting-room.

Six stringer turned five stringer.

Object no. 2

Plastic is a very durable material that never gives up.

Andrea Roe had found this toy arm from a plastic super hero on the street, and picked it up to maybe make an artwork out of it. She told me that she had it hanging around in her studio for a while but never got around to actually integrating it into one of her sculptures, nonetheless still liking it. She just couldn’t find a suitable place for it. I figured it sure belonged in an art context, but did it really have to take centre stage? Given that it was so bold, but also very strong and reliable, I decided to give it more of a supporting role – as a picture hanger. It was pretty easy to mount it on a small plate so that it could be hung securely on a wall, behind a paiting and thus completely invisible. But what would that matter, since Andrea would know it was there, and surely remember it once in a while when she looked at the frame it supported. Does art always have to be visible to be effective?

A small sculpture or a big hook.

Object no. 61