Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York

Three New York master luthiers, renowned for their hand-carved stringed instruments particularly their archtop guitars, which have been sought after by many of the most important guitarists of the last century‹will be the subject of Guitar Heroes: Legendary Craftsmen from Italy to New York, on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from February 9 through July 4, 2011. Featuring the extraordinary guitars of John D¹Angelico, James D¹Aquisto, and John Monteleone, this unprecedented exhibition of approximately 80 musical instruments will focus on the work of these modern-day master craftsmen and their roots in a long tradition of stringed instrument-making that has thrived for more than 400 years and that was first brought to New York from Italy around the turn of the 20th century. An app, the Museum¹s first, has been conceived to complement and augment the exhibition. Through collaborations with musicians and experts, the app brings to life the guitar makers¹ creative process and celebrates the enduring relevance of these instruments. It features Museum-commissioned musical performances expressly designed for this exhibition, artist interviews, and rarely seen archival video footage. This dynamic multimedia guide to the exhibition, which has been developed by the Metropolitan Museum¹s Digital Media Department, can be downloaded free from iTunes. It will also be available for rental on iTouch devices in the Museum¹s galleries ($7, $6 for Members, $5 for children under 12).