When 2014 Kane sat on the couch in his studio and took this photo in front of a test print of Matt Weston’s (The Nation Blue) grimy bass, he had only one expectation of what this would one day become, a physical exhibition.
I didn’t know how long it was going to take or how many guitars would be in it, I just started one day by photographing the guitars of artists I had worked with. Each one of those guitars lead to another and another.
albeit a little worse for wear.
2025 Kane has now shot over 300 guitars for Scale with only space for a 100 in London. The process to come up with the 100 for this first exhibition was an impossible, bordering on cruel task. Where do you even start trying to curate 300 guitars down to 100 when every single one of them is an integral part of the Scale story. That’s why I shot them in the first place, because I believed they all had a story to tell.
So, my process for curating London was a combination of; trying to not have too many of the same models of guitar, varying genres, a combination of prominent and lesser known artists, I took the stories into account and a couple were included just because they’re my favourites. I do think the final line-up gives London a real breadth of interest for all ages but when I look at who I wasn’t able to include
in this show, I’m still shocked.
Sometimes I think, “Are you crazy, how can you leave out Pino Palladino or Margo Price or Orianthi or Steve Howe, Tash Sultana, Mike Campbell, Billy Zoom, Trey Anastasio and Bob Mould just to name a few.
This being the very first show and while the level that Scale is débuting at is still mind blowing to me, it only gives us room to grow. London is just the beginning of a world tour and it’s very cool that each exhibition can be curated for the locality. There are so many amazing guitars that are waiting in the wings, I can’t wait for you to see them all.
KH