15/12/2023 to 08/09/2024

Make It Work

Are you creating an exclusive product, or do you want to reach as many people as possible at a low price? Which materials can you use, and are they readily available or prohibitively expensive? Can a design be repaired, or does it need to be replaced immediately?

These are the same dilemmas that the creators of the unique collection pieces at Museum Speelklok faced centuries ago! The exhibition Make It Work. Music Machines & Sustainable Design provides insight into the choices made by the inventors of our historical music machines and the challenges facing designers today. Can the key to a sustainable future be found in the past?

Design Solutions

In Make It Work , designers Jelle Mastenbroek, Jesse Howard, and Christien Meindertsma engage in a dialogue with the museum's historical collection. Jelle Mastenbroek’s work includes the Porcelain Piano, an antique-looking cabinet filled with porcelain plates that can play music. He was inspired by instruments found here at Museum Speelklok. Jesse Howard designs everyday appliances, such as mixers and vacuum cleaners, in a way that allows users to build and repair them themselves in no time. Christien Meindertsma presents parts of her research into the various processing methods and applications of sheep's wool—which has more in common with musical instruments than you might think!

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