18 UAE-based artists put their artistic stamp on Gibson guitars for Vision of Sound exhibition

When Matthew Ryder received a sunburst Gibson Les Paul guitar to customise with his own art, he almost didn’t want to start. The solid-body guitar, which was designed in the 1950s, is, after all, considered by aficionados to be the most desirable electric guitar ever created.

Vision of sound

He is one of 18 UAE-based artists who were selected to put their own unique artistic stamp on Gibson guitars for a pop-up exhibition called Vision of Sound – which opened on Saturday as a joint celebration of the company’s 120th anniversary and yesterday’s International Day of Peace. And it’s all for a good cause: the guitars will be auctioned in October with the proceeds going to charity.

“I had researched how to remove the paint and the best way was to melt it off with a heat gun,” says Ryder, “but when it came to it, I was too afraid of damaging it, so I just sanded it down and primed and painted it as I would a canvas.”

Ryder’s design, titled Lost Doves, was inspired by the Day of Peace theme. He settled on a black background with a lion’s head in full roar on the front and a large dove on the back. The dove was repeated on the front, smaller and flying out of the lion’s mouth.

Going on show

Vision of Sound was unveiled on Saturday at the Hard Rock Cafe Dubai, before moving to The Dubai Mall yesterday, where it will be on show until October 5.

18 UAE-based artists put their artistic stamp on Gibson guitars for Vision of Sound exhibition

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