PATRIC ULLAEUS × BJÖRN JOHANSSON

ART THAT
REFUSED
THE WALL.

RockART transformed the raw energy of music into physical work made from steel, shattered glass and oil paint.

THE ORIGIN

TWO ARTISTS.
RAW MATERIAL.
ONE NEW LANGUAGE.

Patric Ullaeus and Björn Johansson created RockART as a collision between painting, sculpture and the visual force of rock culture.

The work travelled through galleries and exhibitions, but its most unexpected destination was still ahead.

THE OZZY QUESTION

CAN YOU PLAY
A LES PAUL?

Ozzy Osbourne was used to the single-cut guitars played by Randy Rhoads and Zakk Wylde. When Gus G joined his band, Ozzy kept asking if he could use a Les Paul for some songs.

Gus turned to ESP for an Eclipse. At the same moment, he was discussing RockART with his Swedish video-director friend Patric Ullaeus. Together they selected one of the artworks and transformed the guitar from a compromise into something unmistakably personal.

“We went through a bunch of designs and ended up with this one. It was a cool project, and it gave it a more personalized look.”GUS G / GUITAR WORLD

READ THE GUITAR WORLD STORY ↗

THE ROCKART GUITAR

FROM ARTWORK
TO SIGNATURE
INSTRUMENT.

A RockART work became the graphic identity of Gus G's ESP single-cut model. The guitar appeared in an international ESP campaign, travelled on Ozzy's world tours and stood beside Gus and Ozzy on the cover of Guitar World.

It was used for the Black Sabbath part of the set and can be heard on the iTunes Festival Live EP.

ART CONCEPT AND GRAPHICS / BJÖRN JOHANSSON & PATRIC ULLAEUS

ONE IDEA / MANY FORMS