News

Welcome to GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip

Mar 30 2012

For those that haven’t been, you should know that our Standard, Hollywood hotel is located right on The Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, CA. The Sunset Strip is the place of rockstar legends. With that in mind, Gibson Guitars has partnered with the neighborhood to create, GuitarTown, a larger-than-life public art exhibit celebrating the people and places that have shaped The Strip.

Gibson GuitarTown on The Sunset Strip originally launched in August 2010 featuring more than 20 10-foot tall fiberglass Gibson Les Paul model guitars strategically placed on the legendary Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. Each guitar sculpture celebrated a musician, personality or artist unique to The Sunset Strip’s history. As intended, the 24 guitars were auctioned off this past December 2011 after their yearlong “tour” with 100% of the $54,360 in profits going to charity. The public art project is now moving into its second phase with the first nine new guitars now on display along The Strip.

Detail of “Moms Not Bombs” by Tristan Eaton. This guitar is located outside The Standard, Hollywood!

The full list of guitars included in the 2012 launch includes:

  • Tristan Eaton, “Moms Not Bombs”: This painted guitar celebrates the artist’s mom, Gillian Eaton, an actress in the Royal Shakespeare Company. The guitar also references The Sunset Strip, which was the birthplace for the artist. (“Moms Not Bombs” is located outside of The Standard, Hollywood.)

  • Shepard Fairey, “Electric Warrior”: The painted guitar was inspired by Marc Bolan of T-Rex. Fairey illustrated Bolan as an iconic rock and roll archetype with a nod to vintage vinyl LP and stereo graphics. (“Electric Warrior” is located outside of the Andaz hotel – formerly the “Riot Hyatt.”)

“Electric Warrior” by Shepard Fairey

  • Lana Gomez, “Freedom”: The expressionist work celebrates freedom and spontaneity as well as The Sunset Strip’s role in allowing musicians to blaze their own paths. (“Freedom” is located outside of 9000 Sunset Boulevard.)

  • Tsipi Mani, “Black Eyed Peas”: The bold, modern painted guitar celebrates the music of Los Angeles’ the Black Eyed Peas. (“Black Eyed Peas” is located outside of BOA, 9200 Sunset Boulevard.)

Artist Juliana Martinez attends the unveiling of the 2012 Gibson Guitartown new round of guitars on The Sunset Strip at Hornburg Jaguar on March 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images North America

  • Juliana Martinez, “There’s Something Happening Here”: The mosaic, tiled guitar was inspired by the music and spirit of Buffalo Springfield. The guitar utilizes symbols that resonate with Buffalo Springfield: a peace sign and a flower border that is similar to the border on their second album, Buffalo Springfield Again. (“There’s Something Happening Here” is located outside of Mel’s Drive-In – former home of Ben Franks in the 1960s.)

  • Ryan McCann, “Nothing’s Shocking”: The painted guitar was inspired by Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking album as well as the band’s performance and self-titled album recorded live at The Roxy Theatre on Jan. 26, 1987. (“Nothing’s Shocking” is located outside of Hornburg Los Angeles – former home of the Cock N’ Bull pub on Sunset.)

  • Edgar Pasten, “People Of The Sun”: The painted and assemblage guitar was inspired by Rage Against The Machine’s song “People Of The Sun.” The guitar takes the lyrics and applies it to struggles immigrants have faced. (“People Of The Sun” is located at 8755 Sunset Boulevard.)

  • Stephen M. Taylor, “The Music Machine”: The abstract, painted guitar pays homage to Van Halen by utilizing the red, black and white colors of Eddie Van Halen’s iconic guitar. (“The Music Machine” is located outside of the Whisky A Go-Go.)

  • Free Humanity, Smog City, DeeKay, Bod Bod, 2wenty, Snyder, Gregory Siff, KH no. 7, Smear, Desire Obtain Cherish, CYRCLE. & DD$, Leba, Homo Riot, Andy Appleton, “Collaborative Street Art Guitar @ Maximillian Gallery”: This painted guitar was created at Maximillian Gallery at the Sunset Marquis hotel. The piece was a collaborative effort celebrating the contributions of street art on the Los Angeles landscape and featured contributions from 15 prominent street artists. (“Collaborative Street Art Guitar” is located outside of The Roxy Theatre.)

For a map and photos of the guitars, click here. For additional information, please visit Gibson Guitars and www.gibsonfoundation.org.