Casino Design 2014 | Page 26

Glass Artist Dale Chihuly ’ s Fiori Di

Como at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino and ( below ) his work in the lobby of the Borgata Casino Hotel

Art for

Art ’ s Sake

Fine art in casino resorts has become a dynamic part of the entertainment experience
BY DAVID ROSS
The greatest artist of the 20th century , Pablo Picasso , spoke for most artists when he proclaimed , “ Everything you can imagine is real .”
Casino resorts embody that sentiment . They are supreme examples of art tailored for the common man with as much “ wow factor ” added as you can imagine .
The greatest art cliché is that it exists “ for its own sake .” Some casino resorts employ art , host artists in residence , display art from private collections or even have galleries of fine arts . Art for its own sake is the least of their reasons .
For some casinos , “ artifacts ” equal art , as in the “ Artifacts of the Titanic ” the Luxor is hosting in tandem with “ Bodies .” The exhibit recreates the spectacular opulence of the doomed “ unsinkable ” liner , and includes 250 artifacts recovered from the wreck .
Jim Gentleman , senior vice president , account management and strategy for SKG Marketing agency in Las Vegas , has worked with several casino clients who utilized public art , including the Aria , which , he says , has “ a significant art collection , including commissioned pieces ; and the Borgata , which features the blown glass sculptures of Dale Chihuly throughout the property .
“ Some have utilized art to further define their brand and enhance the overall guest experience ,” says Gentleman .
A good example is the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas , which he calls “ a modern contemporary new take on the casino . They have done the same thing in art . They are the first casino to have an artist in residence .”
Two Cosmo slogans are applicable : “ Art and Las Vegas — We Think Opposites Attract ” and “ Art for Guest ’ s Sake .” Guests can watch artists in residence through the intimate glass-walled P3 Studio . Recently this included Las Vegasbased David Sanchez Burr , who created Metasonic , described as a combination of “ architecture , structure , sound and time .” He invited guests to “ be a participant in both the creation of sound and the reorganizing of element and structures related to the citadel in this ongoing and growing experimental sound and interactive sculptural installation .”
Guests at P3 can dive right in and interact with the artists — who range from painters to photographers , designers to performance artists —“ maybe even help create a masterpiece ,” according to the casino .
The best time to visit the P3 Studio is evenings from Wednesdays through Sundays . Upcoming artists at P3 include Mark Brandvik in November and JK Russ in December .
26 CASINO DESIGN 2014