Symbol Guitar
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.This guitar takes the form of Prince’s "Love Symbol," a glyph he devised to assert artistic freedom and identity. Fusing the astrological symbols for Mars and Venus, the emblem amplifies the male/female duality inherent in the guitar’s phallic neck and curvaceous body. The instrument echoes the opening lyrics of the musician’s "I Would Die 4 U" (1984): "I’m not a woman, I’m not a man / I am something that you’ll never understand."
Artwork Details
- Title: Symbol Guitar
- Date: Late 1990's-Early 2000's
- Medium: Wood, metal, plastic
- Dimensions: 38.5 x 18.5 x 3 in.
- Classification: Chordophone-Lute-plucked-fretted
- Credit Line: Collection of Tavis Smiley, California
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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