Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
Gallery entrance, 2018
Map
EstablishedOctober 15, 1998 (1998-10-15)
LocationBellagio resort, Paradise, Nevada
Coordinates36°06′46″N 115°10′39″W / 36.112910°N 115.177579°W / 36.112910; -115.177579
TypeArt gallery
FounderSteve Wynn
Websitebellagio.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/gallery-of-fine-art.html

The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is an art gallery in the Bellagio resort, located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It opened along with the rest of the property on October 15, 1998. Like the resort, the gallery was owned by Mirage Resorts, overseen by Steve Wynn. The gallery's collection initially consisted of artwork owned by the company, as well as personal art pieces leased from Wynn.

The gallery closed on May 28, 2000, as Mirage Resorts merged with MGM Grand Inc. to form MGM Mirage (now MGM Resorts International). Under the new ownership, the existing art collection was sold off and the gallery reopened on September 1, 2000, as a rotating exhibition space. The gallery has featured collections from partners such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

History

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Background and opening

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In late 1996, Steve Wynn began purchasing artwork to display in his upcoming Bellagio resort on the Las Vegas Strip.[1][2] In 1997, he successfully lobbied the state to enact a sales-tax break on art purchases of $25,000 or more.[3][4] Wynn planned to charge a $10 admission fee for the Bellagio's art gallery, although the Nevada Tax Commission rejected his plan in August 1998, two months prior to the resort's opening. The commission ruled that, for educational purposes, any gallery taking advantage of the tax break must be free and widely accessible to the public, especially schoolchildren. Wynn had argued that an admission fee was necessary to cover the costs of displaying the art, including transportation, security, and insurance.[5][6][7] He said that leftover revenue would be donated to local charities.[8] The commission members reaffirmed their decision weeks before the opening, after Wynn had asked them to reconsider.[9]

Forgoing the tax exemption,[10] Wynn opened the resort and gallery on October 15, 1998,[11][12] with the admission fee in place. Two months later, the Bellagio sued the commission, arguing that it went beyond the intent of the tax break law.[10] The state modified the law in 1999, making Wynn eligible for a tax break while still being able to charge admission. In return, Wynn offered discounts to Nevada residents and free tours to schoolchildren.[13][14][15][1] Nevada senator Joe Neal had been particularly opposed to Wynn's admission idea and the tax bill,[16][17] making the issue a top priority in his unsuccessful campaign during the 1998 Nevada gubernatorial election.[6][9]

The gallery originally featured artwork that was leased from Wynn's personal collection, as well as art purchased by owner Mirage Resorts.[1][18][19] Bellagio advertised the gallery's artists as its headliners, unlike other resorts promoting traditional entertainers.[20][21][22] Among the artists represented in the gallery were Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Vincent van Gogh.[22][21][23] All of the art was available for sale,[23][24] and pieces were infrequently rotated out, for instance to take the place of sold artwork.[24][25][26] The gallery offered an audio tour narrated by Wynn.[23][24]

Changes

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In 1999, the gallery was moved to a larger space in the resort, to accommodate long lines and a growing collection of artwork. The new space featured a larger retail store and black walls as opposed to the white coloring typically used in art galleries.[25][26] New additions included paintings by Rembrandt and Georges Seurat.[26]

Mirage Resorts closed the gallery on May 28, 2000, just before merging with MGM Grand Inc. to form MGM Mirage.[27][28] Wynn departed the Bellagio following the merger.[29] MGM announced plans to reopen the art gallery as a rotating exhibition space, hosting art pieces from major museums. The company stated that this would provide "a more varied and dynamic experience".[28][30] Approximately 630,000 people had visited the gallery during its initial run,[29] with an average of 1,800 visitors daily.[28] Around 95 percent of the gallery's clientele were tourists.[26] Wynn owned roughly half of the gallery's collection.[27] The full collection was valued at $400 million.[31][32] Shortly after the closure, MGM sold 11 company owned paintings, three of them to Wynn. The sale brought in $124 million, which would be used to reduce debt brought on by the company merger.[33][32]

The gallery reopened as an exhibition space on September 1, 2000.[34][35] PaperBall, a division of PaceWildenstein,[36] took over operations of the 2,600 sq ft (240 m2) facility in January 2002.[37][38] Art from the exhibits was occasionally sold to interested parties, and an official art advisory division was established in 2005 to work with prospective buyers. The service was operated independently from the gallery.[39] PaperBall turned operations over to MGM in January 2008, to focus on other ventures.[40][41] The nearby Guggenheim Hermitage Museum closed later that year, leaving the Bellagio gallery as the only art facility on the Strip.[42] The gallery added docent tours in 2010.[43]

Exhibits

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MGM's first exhibition came through a partnership with The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., which lent 26 pieces to the Bellagio for a six-month engagement, from 2000 to 2001.[34][35] The Phillips received net profits earned through admission fees.[44] A 2002 exhibit, Fabergé: Treasures From the Kremlin, featured a collection of works by Peter Carl Fabergé, including three Fabergé eggs. It was compiled from the collections of several lenders, and narrated by Fabergé expert Géza von Habsburg.[45]

In 2004, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) provided a collection of Monet paintings to the Bellagio gallery for a 16-month exhibit.[46][47][48] MFA was criticized for lending art to a for-profit facility and taking a percentage of the admission fee, going against standard museum practice. Critics argued that such partnerships favored large and wealthy museums over non-profits. MFA was also criticized for sending Monet paintings to be displayed in Las Vegas, which was considered inferior compared with the art culture in Boston. MFA defended its loan, calling the Bellagio exhibit educational since Las Vegas did not have any major art museums.[46][49][40][50][51] According to surveys, approximately 30 percent of the Bellagio gallery's visitors had never been to an art gallery.[46] The Monet exhibit was successful, attracting 450,000 visitors during its run.[40] The two partnered again in 2005, with MFA lending a 34-piece collection of French art to the Bellagio. It included pieces from 19th century artists such as Théodore Rousseau and Van Goth.[49][40]

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) lent 17 paintings to the gallery in 2009, including works by artists such as Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella, and Sol LeWitt. In 2010, MFA and MCASD both lent pieces to the gallery for Figuratively Speaking: A Survey of the Human Form. The exhibit featured works from the 19th century to the present, from artists such as Renoir, Picasso, Judith Shea, and Yoshitomo Nara.[52] MFA and MCASD would again lend paintings to the gallery in 2011, for an exhibit of landscape art.[53] A 2016 exhibit featured art by Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, and Edgar Degas, again provided by MFA.[54]

The gallery has hosted numerous Japanese artists and artwork.[55][56] In 2018, Yayoi Kusama opened two art exhibits in separate rooms of the gallery.[57]

In 2017, it featured an exhibit dedicated to boxer Muhammad Ali. It included family heirlooms and photos, as well as stories from his friends.[58] In 2021, the gallery showcased an exhibit focused on the history of boxing in Las Vegas, made up of personal collections from people such as Dana White.[59]

At the end of 2021, the gallery opened an immersive and interactive exhibit known as Ase: Afro Frequencies. It was inspired by the concept of aṣẹ and is dedicated to black culture. The exhibit was presented by Artechouse, collaborating with poet Ursula Rucker and Afro-Surrealist Vince Fraser.[60][61]

Other artists represented in the rotating exhibits include Andy Warhol.[62][63]

Reception

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When it opened, the gallery received praise from art experts, including Robert Rosenblum and Paul Schimmel.[23] Art critic Michael Kimmelman, writing for The New York Times, praised the gallery for introducing fine art to Las Vegas.[24] Jeffrey Vallance of Artforum praised the gallery and its location on the Las Vegas Strip.[20]

The gallery won the "Best Art" category in the 2008 Readers' Choice Awards by Las Vegas Weekly. The publication called it "a grand example of how to offer the fine arts on the Strip".[64] In 2022, Bethy Squires of Paste named it among the best museums in Las Vegas. She praised its exhibition of contemporary art, particularly from Asia.[65]

Artist Studio

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The Artist Studio opened next to the gallery in 2018.[66] It serves as a place for artists to work while the public observes. Spectators can also meet with them.[67] The space has hosted numerous Japanese artists.[68][69][70]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Vogel, Ed (February 29, 2000). "Decision close on Wynn tax breaks". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 29, 2001.
  2. ^ "No decision reached on exemptions for Bellagio art". Las Vegas Sun. July 17, 1998. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Henry, Larry (March 2, 1998). "The fine art of lobbying". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  4. ^ Vogel, Ed (July 6, 1997). "Wynn tries to paint positive picture for controversial bill". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 17, 2000.
  5. ^ "Ruling: Public must have free access to Bellagio art". Las Vegas Sun. August 19, 1998. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Bates, Warren (August 20, 1999). "Admission to Bellagio art exhibit free". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 15, 2000.
  7. ^ Ward, Ken (August 28, 1999). "The deal on art and driver's ed". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 5, 1999.
  8. ^ Vogel, Ed (August 21, 1998). "Nevada Gaming Commission grants license to Bellagio". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 12, 1999.
  9. ^ a b Vogel, Ed (October 7, 1998). "No tax break for art's sake". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 10, 1999.
  10. ^ a b Bates, Warren (December 3, 1998). "Bellagio sues over art tax decision". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 16, 2000.
  11. ^ Wilen, John (October 14, 1998). "Wynn's career at new height with Bellagio opening". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  12. ^ "Benvenuto". Las Vegas Review-Journal. October 16, 1998. Archived from the original on September 22, 1999.
  13. ^ "Wynn asks Legislature to clarify art law". Las Vegas Sun. February 17, 1999. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  14. ^ Vogel, Ed (April 2, 1999). "Wynn offers Bellagio art show discount for Nevadans". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 14, 2000.
  15. ^ Whaley, Sean (April 17, 1999). "Senate OKs art tax break for Bellagio". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 3, 2000.
  16. ^ Vogel, Ed (July 7, 1997). "Neal's last-ditch effort fails to kill art collector tax break". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 17, 2000.
  17. ^ Vogel, Ed (June 26, 1998). "Commission delays art tax regulation adoption". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 8, 1999.
  18. ^ Berns, Dave (April 6, 1998). "Mirage Resorts to lease Bellagio artwork from Wynn". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 15, 2000.
  19. ^ Binkley, Christina; Costello, Daniel (May 11, 2000). "MGM Grand Will Sell Off Most of Bellagio Hotel's Art". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  20. ^ a b Danto, Arthur C. (February 11, 1999). "Degas in Vegas". The Nation. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  21. ^ a b Siano, Joseph (October 11, 1998). "Las Vegas Headliners: Monet and Van Gogh". The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Louvre of Las Vegas? Casinos hoarding art". Deseret News. August 23, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  23. ^ a b c d Cling, Carol (October 23, 1998). "Art Appreciation: Critics, scholars impressed with resort collection". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 24, 1999.
  24. ^ a b c d Kimmelman, Michael (December 6, 1998). "In an Unreal City, Real Masterworks Beat the Odds". The New York Times. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  25. ^ a b Thompson, Gary (June 11, 1999). "Wynn to double size of Bellagio art gallery". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  26. ^ a b c d White, Ken (October 22, 1999). "State of the Art: Bellagio moves gallery to more comfortable surroundings". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on August 23, 2000.
  27. ^ a b "MGM Grand to Sell Bellagio Resort's Art". The New York Times. Associated Press. May 12, 2000. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  28. ^ a b c Berns, Dave (May 24, 2000). "Bellagio announces end of public gallery viewings". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on August 21, 2001.
  29. ^ a b Macy, Robert (May 30, 2000). "Wynn finishes at Bellagio". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  30. ^ Simpson, Jeff (July 15, 2000). "Bellagio, Venetian ready to deal in art". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on September 10, 2001.
  31. ^ Costello, Daniel (March 24, 2000). "Wynn Brokers Deal to Keep Bellagio Hotel Art Collection". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  32. ^ a b Simpson, Jeff (June 6, 2000). "MGM sells Bellagio artwork". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on December 15, 2000.
  33. ^ "MGM Grand Will Close Bellagio Gallery of Art". The Wall Street Journal. June 6, 2000. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  34. ^ a b Berns, Dave (July 28, 2000). "Bellagio to host classic art exhibit". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 7, 2001.
  35. ^ a b White, Ken (September 1, 2000). "Renowned Visitors". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on July 8, 2001. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  36. ^ McGee, Kimberley (January 24, 2002). "Mobile home: Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art displays Calder's rare pieces". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  37. ^ Vogel, Carol (October 24, 2003). "Inside Art". The New York Times. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  38. ^ White, Ken (February 1, 2002). "For the Masses: Bellagio exhibit features work from mobile creator Alexander Calder". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on December 26, 2002.
  39. ^ Peterson, Kristen (October 27, 2005). "Bellagio gallery creates new advisory service". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  40. ^ a b c d Peterson, Kristen (February 8, 2008). "Casino handed artistic legacy". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  41. ^ Cowley, Stacy (April 16, 2008). "Amid art boom, dealers brace for a bust". CNN. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  42. ^ Peterson, Kristen (April 13, 2008). "Art museums on the Strip: Why only one survives". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  43. ^ Peterson, Kristen (February 17, 2010). "Can I get a guide with that gallery?". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  44. ^ Vogel, Carol (October 27, 2000). "Inside Art; Leaving Las Vegas". The New York Times. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  45. ^ White, Ken (August 30, 2002). "Exhibit of Excess". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on April 9, 2005.
  46. ^ a b c Bernstein, Fred A. (March 30, 2005). "A Loan That Keeps on Paying". The New York Times. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  47. ^ White, Ken (January 30, 2004). "Good Impression: Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art unveils exhibit showcasing work of Claude Monet". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on December 5, 2004.
  48. ^ Smith, Rod (February 15, 2004). "Intimacy with artworks flavors art gallery exec's job satisfaction". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on October 30, 2004.
  49. ^ a b "Winning Pair: Bellagio thrives in partnership with Museum of Fine Arts, Boston". Las Vegas Sun. June 14, 2005. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  50. ^ Peterson, Kristen (January 29, 2004). "Monet: Bellagio ignores detractors, snares coveted works". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  51. ^ Twardy, Chuck (January 29, 2004). "Optic Nerve: Making a Good Impression". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  52. ^ Peterson, Kristen (March 9, 2010). "It's a renter's (art) market". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  53. ^ Jones, Jay (April 12, 2011). "Las Vegas: Bellagio landscape exhibition draws from Monet, Hockney and others". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  54. ^ Jones, Jay (August 26, 2016). "Not the usual Las Vegas headliners: Monet and Picasso coming to the Bellagio". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  55. ^ Carter, Geoff (July 30, 2019). "Yasuaki Onishi's dimensional work returns to the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  56. ^ Szydelko, Paul (November 18, 2019). "Japanese exhibit opens at Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art". Travel Weekly. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  57. ^ Jones, Jay (January 30, 2019). "Yayoi Kusama's genius lights up Las Vegas' Bellagio Gallery". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  58. ^ Jones, Jay (April 7, 2017). "Muhammad Ali stars in 'I Am the Greatest' exhibition at Bellagio's fine-art gallery". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  59. ^ Moon Reed, C. (June 10, 2021). "Bellagio brings the greats together for boxing-themed exhibit 'Leather Throwers'". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  60. ^ "New, immersive exhibit, Ase: Afro Frequencies, coming to Bellagio Las Vegas". KSNV. December 16, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  61. ^ Szydelko, Paul (December 27, 2021). "'Ase: Afro Frequencies' exhibit opens at Bellagio art gallery". Travel Weekly. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  62. ^ Clarke, Norm (December 1, 2002). "Warhol's celebrity portraits headed to Bellagio". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 21, 2005.
  63. ^ Domanick, Andrea (July 2, 2013). "Another 15 minutes: Bellagio's 'Warhol Out West' extended through 2014". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  64. ^ "2008 Readers' Choice Awards". Las Vegas Sun. March 10, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  65. ^ Squires, Bethy (March 14, 2022). "The Best Museums in Las Vegas". Paste. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  66. ^ Knapp Rinella, Heidi (October 13, 2018). "Bellagio has 60 original pieces of art on public display". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
  67. ^ "Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art Review". Fodor's. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  68. ^ "Artistic Endeavors in Las Vegas". DuJour. October 12, 2018. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  69. ^ Miller, Cody (April 22, 2019). "MGM announces new resident artist at Bellagio's Artist Studio". KSNV. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
  70. ^ Engle, Shaena (January 7, 2020). "Bellagio Las Vegas Welcomes Japanese Calligraphist Sisyu". Patch. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
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