For its next temporary exhibition this summer, the Mupop will pay tribute to a legendary instrument: the Les Paul guitar.
“Les Paul, the sound of rock is 70 years old” will celebrate from July 9, the anniversary of a guitar whose very special sound has seduced the most demanding musicians like Jimmy Page of the group Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, Slash from Guns’N’Roses, The Edge from U2, to name but a few.
A temporary exhibition born from an encounter
This choice was born from the meeting between Mélanie Jouhanin, the director of the museum, and Julien Bitoun, musician, music journalist and above all passionate about Les Paul guitars. Mélanie Jouhanin remembers the genesis of the exhibition
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Julien Bitoun had visited the Mupop which he had greatly appreciated. He already had in mind to do something on Les Paul guitars. He needed help to know if his project was feasible and we met because he wanted my expertise. I listened to him and ended up saying to him: “Don’t look, we’re doing the exhibition here!”. I saw the full potential of his project in relation to the museum.
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Currently, the director of Mupop and the curator of the exhibition are working “hand in hand” to set up this exceptional event.
Authorization from the Gibson company that owns the Les Paul
A first step was taken with the agreement of the American company Gibson, which has been manufacturing Les Paul guitars since the creation of the first instrument in 1952, in which Lester William Polsfuss – whose artist name was Les Paul – took part in 1952.
It is essential that we have the authorization of Gibson because we will be able to use the name, the logo and the real typography. We could have made the exhibition without their agreement but we should have put forward a different discourse.
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For Mélanie Jouhanin, this authorization also proves the relevance of the exhibition. “We proved our good faith because, before we contacted them, they didn’t know who we were. They were convinced by the project because they refuse many of them. »
In search of the instruments that will be exhibited
An authentic Les Paul guitar is part of the permanent collections of Mupop.
The exhibition Les Paul, the sound of rock is 70 years old is therefore in the process of being created. Julien Bitoun, who knows the collectors, is currently looking for the instruments they would like to present in Montluçon to retrace the history of this guitar.
It is a guitar that is legendary because it is special. It is very heavy while it is small. She has a particular sound. It’s a Les Paul that we hear on the solo of Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin, in Hotel California by Eagles, on several pieces by David Bowie.
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“In addition, the Les Paul has evolved over the course of its history. True vintage Les Pauls are among the most expensive instruments at auction today. The history of Les Paul is atypical”, emphasizes Mélanie Jouhanin.
Make an exhibition accessible to all
Although convinced of the relevance of the project, the Mupop aims to make the subject of the exhibition accessible to the widest and most family-friendly public possible.
The objective is not for Julien to indulge himself with a speech that is too sharp, but for everything to be unfolded as a story accessible to everyone and not just by guitar aficionados.
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“The Mupop brings all its scenographic, technical know-how and also at the level of the texts. There is a real sharing of ideas with Julien Bitoun. »
Montluçon (Allier) pays tribute to Pierre Diot, the architect who changed the face of the city, with an exhibition at the media library
Scenography questions still under consideration
Nothing has yet been decided on the scenography. The Mupop has a Les Paul but Mélanie Jouhanin wonders about the relevance of installing it in the temporary exhibition. “Leaving it in our permanent collection is also an idea to encourage visitors to discover or rediscover the museum,” notes the director.
Florence Farina
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