Visionary TOOL guitarist Adam Jones has teamed with Epiphone for the Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Custom Art Collection. The limited-edition collection channels his joint love of music and fine art through seven Silverburst Les Paul Custom guitars featuring the artwork of five distinguished visual artists handpicked by Jones.
The debut model in the collection is Mark Ryden's "The Veil of Bees." The guitar displays the piece of the same name — which premiered at Art Basel - Hong Kong in 2018 — by the acclaimed "Pop Surrealism" master. In addition, the instrument boasts artwork on the rear headstock designed by world-renowned artist Korin Faught.
Following "The Veil of Bees," the collection will continue with guitars featuring pieces by Faught, Frank Frazetta, Julie Heffernan and Ernst Fuchs. Only 800 guitars of each model will be produced.
"When I think of art, I see both the visual and the aural as equally important, with one bolstering the other and giving listeners, or viewers, a more complete experience," Jones commented. "Naturally, when Epiphone and I started discussing the potential of a custom art collection, I was instantly dedicated from the get-go. Mark Ryden was one of the artists that I was hoping would say yes to participating. Mark's work is instantly recognizable, uniquely his own, and while he started in primarily fine art, he has expanded into music and theatrical productions. What a perfect partner to kick off this series with. Mark's technical execution is exceptional and makes him a modern master. His visionary journey using surrealist imagery really tugs at my heart and continues to influence me as a musician and artist."
Ryden added, "I was repeatedly including bees in my art before I consciously released it. They have evolved into a very important subject matter for me. Bees are an essential part of the web of life and show the vital interconnectedness between all life on our planet. As we now know, bees are in great peril. This reflects our need to live in harmony with the natural world and not exploit it."
Explore the Epiphone Adam Jones Les Paul Custom Art Collection here.
