That was before casino king Steve Wynn invested millions in well-known originals by Picasso, Renoir, Degas, Manet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet, and others to hang in Bellagio, his opulent new palace. Wynn may have set a precedent for others to follow. If it turns out that people want to look at famous paintings while they gamble away enough money to buy a Dutch master, then more casino owners will likely display investment-grade art. For years, galleries at the Forum Shops at Caesars have displayed and sold well-known contemporary works. Wynn has just upped the ante by acquiring works by artists whose names every sixth-grader knows.
Artistic works represent the paradoxical nature of Las Vegas.
On the Strip are the bronzed backsides of the Crazy Girls. He's especially impressed by The Arts Factory on East Charleston Boulevard, the nucleus of a fledgling downtown arts scene. For those willing to look, visual art abounds. The Las Vegas Art Museum features works by local artists, collections of art owned by residents, and exhibits by individuals and themed groups. The Clark County Government Center features sculpture exhibits, and most libraries and some coffee shops reserve space for visual art.