A Totally Unexpected Wealth of Art
Las Vegas has a lot of diversions – an excellent collection of fine art might be the least expected of them
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Las Vegas is famous for offering, in a phrase, “something for everyone.” From themed casino experiences to A-list talent that you thought you might never have the chance to see live, sports arenas and high-end restaurants and natural experiences and … we could go on and on.
What might be less expected, however, is that Las Vegas contains a huge amount of fine art to see and experience. Many casinos have their own collections, and public art abounds, owing jointly to the patronage of the multi-billionaire casino owners and local entrepreneurs and enthusiasts that strive to make the city an amazing place to live as well as visit.
While there is an argument to be made that the city itself is art, in a sense, with its wild architecture and genre-redefining spectacle, that discussion goes all the way back to “what is art?” and we’re not going to get into that. Instead, here’s a focus on some of the amazing pieces you can see, often semi-hidden in plain sight, throughout the city. It’s a perfect way to have a “new-to-you” and once-in-a-lifetime Vegas experience.
Finding Fine Art at Fontainebleau
The newest of the Strip titans, Fontainebleau’s now one-year-old megaresort has made a huge splash in a city used to some pretty big ones. The casino, in addition to the familiar trappings of a beautiful new resort, has gone all-in on an amazing fine art collection throughout its common areas.
Take, for example, what greets you as you enter the property: celebrated Mexican artist Gonzalo Lebrija’s “History of Suspended Time.” The larger-than-life installation, which features a classic car mounted, seemingly impossibly, on its nose over a reflecting pool, gives a sense of what kind of whimsy one should expect inside.
In the resort’s South Lobby, you’ll find more monumental sculpture – Swiss artist Urs Fischer’s surrealist, 46-foot tall “Lovers #3,” a mixed-media spectacle that plays with movement and form, towers within the atrium. Fischer also has two paintings in the expansive Fontainebleau collection – his first foray into the medium.
The large-scale pieces continue throughout the property, from Richard Prince’s “High Times,” to kinetic “Oceans,” which mimics the form of the original Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
Mantis!
Art comes in all forms and comes from all manner of places, so why not Burning Man? The longstanding Nevada desert spectacle, part party, part rave and part art exhibition, has produced many eye-popping pieces. That said, only some survive “the burn.” Luckily for Vegas visitors, one such larger-than-life piece made its way to the city.
Simply titled Mantis, the brainchild of aerospace engineer Kirk Jellum was originally built upon a 1983 GMC commercial truck so as to be mobile. And it needed to be a heavy-duty vehicle, for sure – Mantis is 40 feet tall and 30 feet long, shaped like the same-named insect and featuring lights, a sound system, an ability to speak in 40 languages and, yes: fire. At its new home as a permanent installation in downtown’s Container Park, the sculpture shoots giant flames from its antennae that can reach six stories high. To see it, you only need to be there at sundown, when the Mantis comes alive.
Take Another Look: The “Fountains” Beckon
Art can be hidden in plain sight. From murals to the smooth and beautiful lines on a classic home or even in facets of industrial design may go without notice by the end user. In addition, familiarity can breed indifference as well. This is why the Fountains of Bellagio, so iconically Vegas and so woven into the ethos of the city, can often be missed, especially for the frequent visitor. After all, who among us hasn’t strolled right by as the water show is happening?
Look again. The enormous lake, and its 1,000-plus fountain jets that blast water almost 500 feet in the air, would be impressive if that were the end of the spec list. However, the fountain, designed by specialist company WET to work in conjunction with music, lights and very specific timing, create an sense-overloading, out-of-body experience for those with an up-close vantage, which can be had anywhere around the manmade lake’s shoreline.
For an experience that brings you close to both the fountain and culinary creativity, dine waterside at Spago, the Vegas outpost of the legendary Wolfgang Puck establishment that refined California cuisine. The experience creates an artistic spectacle for all five senses – especially taste.
-Alan LaGuardia
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