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Allen Christian is known for creating art out of the unexpected. His Minneapolis studio/gallery, 

 is home to all sorts of sculpture made from bowling balls (hence the name), frying pans, garden tools and more.

For the past year, Christian has taken inspiration from the innards of old pianos.

Christian is working on a trio of sculptures - man, woman and child - for an exhibition at the 

 in Baltimore titled "Human, Soul and the Machine: The Coming Singularity."

Piano Lady and Piano Man, by Allen Christian

Christian first tackled "Piano Man" and just finished "Piano Lady." Both are manikins that he's covered with balance rails, mortises, felt cushions and other parts of a piano's action. He says in each case the hardest part was the face.

The Piano Man is much more rugged in appearance, while the Piano Lady boasts elegant curves. Christian says that has to do with both the manikins he used, the piano parts, and his own learning process.

Christian says part of his inspiration come from string theory, creativity's role in understanding it, and, as he puts it, "the piano being a symbol for that vibrational energy that we're all a part of."

Piano Lady under construction, and seen from the back upon completion

Christian says he plans to make another Piano Lady, but this time she won't be fully covered.

For Christian, working with the old piano parts has re-affirmed his belief in animism - that all things have energy, and that energy stays with an object even as its purpose changes.

The AVAM show opens next fall, so Christian has a year still to complete the third piece in his piano family. In the meantime, he says people are welcome to come to 

 in the warehouse district of Minneapolis to see the couple and watch the birth of the child. Piano Man is also scheduled to appear at the Minnesota State Fair Fine Arts Show.

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Christian is working on a trio of sculptures - man, woman and child - made from the innards of old pianos.

Allen Christian makes people out of pianos

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