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The office orchestra

Artist's Book
2000 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This artist's book invites the reader to create their own 'Office Orchestra' by providing the necessary instruments for twelve people to play along to a musical score entitled 'Stationary [sic] symphony no. 1'.

Contained within a cardboard tube which itself can be played as a drum, the office orchestra instruments are mounted on a die-cut cardboard concertina folded carousel. Each instrument is fashioned from an everyday item of office stationery and comes complete with instructions on how to assemble it.

Once each item has been transformed it is also renamed; bulldog clips played as castanets are renamed 'castaclips', elastic bands stretched across a plastic box become an 'elastilute', plastic bottles of correction fluid are 'correctoraccas', the casing of a pen becomes a 'pen-pipe', and to ensure the orchestra stays in time, two office pencils are provided as conductor's batons.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe office orchestra (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Printed paper, cardboard, wood
Brief description
Artist's book, 'The office orchestra', by Andrea Chappell and Cherry Goddard, with original score composed by Nick Loe, SAS Design, London, 2000
Physical description
Artists' book with graphic musical score.
Score is in 4 parts on 4 folded sheets ; a fifth sheet is the title-page.
Score has title: Stationary [sic] symphony no. 1.

"Packaged in a cardboard tube, the instruments are housed within a concertina die-cut form. Each one is made from a separate piece of stationery and is accompanied by simple graphic instructions which demonstrate assembly and musical technique. Musical scores with customised notation depicting the Stationery symphony No. 1 are provided for all instruments. In the centre is a slimmer tube containing two pencils. The pencils function as conductors' batons or may be used as drumsticks with which to paradiddle the [tin] lid ... "- Inside cover. Whippingham, Isle of Wight : MakingSpace, c2000.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22cm
  • Width: 21cm
  • Box depth: 21cm
Summary
This artist's book invites the reader to create their own 'Office Orchestra' by providing the necessary instruments for twelve people to play along to a musical score entitled 'Stationary [sic] symphony no. 1'.

Contained within a cardboard tube which itself can be played as a drum, the office orchestra instruments are mounted on a die-cut cardboard concertina folded carousel. Each instrument is fashioned from an everyday item of office stationery and comes complete with instructions on how to assemble it.

Once each item has been transformed it is also renamed; bulldog clips played as castanets are renamed 'castaclips', elastic bands stretched across a plastic box become an 'elastilute', plastic bottles of correction fluid are 'correctoraccas', the casing of a pen becomes a 'pen-pipe', and to ensure the orchestra stays in time, two office pencils are provided as conductor's batons.
Other number
805.AA.0006 - NAL Pressmark
Collection
Library number
38041000208207

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Record createdMay 14, 2014
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