Orchester Kuriosum

The idea for these figures came about when the artist Maria Walther was studying the Asian mythologies of the Yokai. These fantastic beings are said to animate hundred-year-old objects and bring them to life. Maria Walther played the accordion for 10 years and was part of an orchestra for three of those years. A few years ago, when she picked up the instrument again, which had fallen into disuse, a few memories came flooding back. She wondered what kind of creature the old squeezebox would be when it came to life. This gave rise to the idea of Sia Monica, the fantastic lady with concertina trousers.

  • Porcelain orchestra
    During his time in the orchestra, the accordion was allowed to accompany a wide variety of pieces. From classical Chopin pieces to Mission Impossible film music, it never became monotonous. The accordion thus became a punky, dynamic lady, immersed in bassy and tinkling spheres, the bass buttons adorn her back like rivets, keys form her hairstyle, as do her boots, and the bellows serve as a jagged dress. Register buttons adorn her head and the pedestal, which lifts Sia Monika onto her own stage in the form of a large bass button. However, as the accordion is a sociable instrument that feels most at home with the voices of other instruments, Maria Walther wanted to provide it with good company again. The idea for the Orchester Kuriosum was born.

    Pierre Cussion, this mighty body of sound and beat maker claps, rattles and swings with joy. Drums and mallets form a wide fanned-out pluderhose, which is held by a belt, the frame of a drum. He wears bells on his head and bell wreaths on his wrists.

    The viola da gamba has an elegant appearance. The body of a stringed instrument forms an elegant dress. The hair is wound into an up-do like a scroll and is tied into plaits by swirls that span its body as strings.
  • Jay Tarro kneels on his stage in the shape of a plectrum. speakers are embedded in the stage base, because he is electric. His cable wraps around his leg and is connected to the sound system via a plug. The strings stretch across his stomach, chest, beard and eyebrows. Fingerboards adorn his forearms and the guitar head sits on his head as a mohawk. The guitar body as trousers runs with the guitar neck over his back to the head of the instrument, which ends in a punky hairstyle. Jay Tarro turns up the volume control.

    Synthia is not a classic piano. As a synthesizer, it is adorned with additional buttons and controls that combine, distort and produce a wide variety of sounds. Keys adorn the hem of her dress and form a semicircle around her as she dancily stretches her leg upwards. Her cable hair is tied back in a bun and she listens to her mixed sounds through headphones.

    Tom Peter is a special phenomenon. Sound funnels clothe him and are even stuck in his ears. With his cheeks puffed out, the compressed air is built up and blown into the pipe that winds along the top of his head. Stretched and proud, he presents himself and presses the flaps on his head.

    A very special orchestra has been created and is just waiting to play.
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  • Maria Walther
    The MEISSEN artist's sculptures are as diverse as the history of the Meissen porcelain manufactory. From the expressive animal figure “3 Monkeys” to her latest works “Shiva” or “Buddha”, all of Maria Walther's works always have a deeper meaning that transports the viewer into the world of “white gold”. When designing her sculptures, Maria Walther attaches great importance to opening up new perspectives for the viewer with her work. Her own aim is to turn the figure into something very special. In doing so, Maria Walther emphasizes the contents that are particularly important to her and that touch her, thus creating new perspectives and impressions that inspire again and again./>
  • Craftsmanship
    For over 300 years, Meissen porcelain has stood for craftsmanship of the highest perfection, from the raw material to the finished product. The porcelain paste itself - the treasured composition of quartz, feldspar and kaolin - has an inherent magic that comes to full fruition in the skilled hands of numerous artisans. From molding and embossing, painting on and under underglaze painting through to the final firing - the multitude of different production techniques and art forms are still perfectly mastered today and are the result of centuries of high standards of craftsmanship.
Kampagnen
  • 01
    Hentschelkinder Meissen Porzellan
    Hentschel Children
    Individually and vividly designed, the Hentschel Children mark a turning point in Meissen's small sculptures at the beginning of the 20th century.
  • 02
    Affenkapelle Meissen Porzellan
    Monkey Orchestra
    The Monkey Orchestra is a series of detailed painted monkey figures in the rococo style. Drawings by the French singerie painter Christophe Huet served as a model.