AS A FORMER lecturer, turned musician, singer-songwriter, Bill Hart is a man with many strings to his bow.

Now he is hoping to add another by suspending 100 guitars from the ceiling for a major new art installation.

Although the guitars can be of any value, type or condition, they must have one thing in common: they were all at some time played in public at Liverpool’s legendary Cavern Club.

This would potentially cover anyone from the Mathew Street club’s 52-year history, from John Lennon’s first band the Quarrymen, through to the early days of The Beatles and Merseybeat, right up to modern-day acts such as The Wombats.

In between were thousands of unsung guitarists, whose instruments Mr Hart is also hoping to feature in his installation.

The “floating” sculpture is intended to convey a gently flowing wave on the River Mersey. It will cover a floor area of 1,200 sq ft, with the surrounding walls used to display information about each individual guitar donor.

Mr Hart, 62, hopes to have the installation ready to be displayed at a venue such as Tate Liverpool in 2011, which would also mark the 50th anniversary of the birth of “Merseybeat.”

Although he is seeking guitars, Mr Hart is a drummer by trade and plays with several bands in and around the Southport area, where he lives.

He said: “I’ve been a rock’n’roller all my life. Liverpool was at the forefront of the Mersey sound, with the Beatles and all the many others.

“I hope to get Paul McCartney to donate one of his guitars, but there are so many other musicians that never get any recognition, so they will also get a bit of glory out of it because they will be contributing to the building of the sculpture.

“I want something that makes people proud of their association with the north-west, and to celebrate these unsung heroes.”

Mr Hart said he was inspired to create his own installation after seeing the work of Cheshire-born, Turner Prize-nominated artist Cornelia Parker, specifically her artwork 30 Pieces of Silver.

This involved flattening more than 1,000 silver items by steamroller and suspending the remnants from the ceiling.

However, Mr Hart promises that a similar fate will not befall the guitars he receives, and that all will be returned in their original condition.

He said: “All I need at this stage is a promissory note from each donor that they’ll submit a guitar for the duration of the exhibition, along with a date and some kind of authentication of when and where it was played.”

IF YOU have a guitar which could be included in the installation, Mr Hart can be contacted on 08450 94 87 95.

alanweston