Pictured above: The Canadian Museum of Civilization by Vlad Litvinov.
Major museums have included Manzer Guitars in permanent collections and special exhibitions.
Permanent collection
The Group of Seven Guitar Project is now permanently in the care of the McMichael Art Collections after it’s one year show in 2017-2018 taking over the length of one of McMichael’s most honourable spaces in Kleinburg Ontario.
Eight masterwork guitars were on display at the McMichael, commissioned from seven world-renowned Canadian guitar makers in homage to the Group of Seven painters plus collectively we built the Tom Thomson guitar together. We felt he needed to be honoured as he most certainly would have been part of the Group of Seven (Eight?) save for his untimely death in 1917. This collection was presented side by side with original Group of Seven paintings in the round in gallery 8 allowing viewers to walk around each guitar and explore the various woods, inlay and art imbued into each guitar. Linda had the honour to pay homage to Lawren Harris. Show was May 2017 to October 2017 (then extended to March 2018 due to popular demand). The 7 guitars then travelled to London England and were on displayed at Canada House in Trafalgar Square London Summer/Fall 2018.
When they are on display to the public again I will post info here. But I can hint it will be soon !
There is also Manzer Archtop Guitar in the permanent collection of the Canadian Museum of Civilization (Gatineau Quebec). The instrument is a custom version of the Manzer Au Naturel Archtop called the “Endangered Species Model.” See this guitar featured on the Museum of Civilization Archtop Page.
Special exhibitions
Selected guitars have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution (Washington DC), and the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston Mass).
See the Pikasso Guitar featured on the Boston Museum of Fine Arts Manzer Pikasso Page.