Here’s a novel idea that could really only happen in Las Vegas where Steve Wynn first thought of displaying museum quality art in a casino. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the Cleveland Clinic’s Frank Gehry-designed brain health satellite center will also feature a rotating art gallery where works are for sale and will help support research:
The Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health has hired Libby Lumpkin, former executive director of the Las Vegas Art Museum, to amass and curate a rotating art exhibition.
The art will be displayed at the center, and visitors will pay admission to view the work, which will also be for sale, said Larry Ruvo, who founded the center in honor of his father. Proceeds of admissions and sales will be funneled back into the institution and its clinical care and medical research. […]
Work by some of the artists has appeared in two Las Vegas Art Museum exhibits, “Southern California Minimalism” and “Las Vegas Collects.” Among the artists included in those exhibitions were James Turrell, John McCracken, Larry Bell, Craig Kauffman, Ron Davis, Peter Alexander, Robert Irwin, Ed Ruscha, David Hockney and Donald Judd.
Ruvo came up with the idea after several artists expressed interest in having their works in the building. The art program is designed to get people through the doors and give them an opportunity to learn about brain diseases.
“Now there’s an added reason to come inside and not just take pictures outside,” Ruvo said.
Lumpkin, an art historian who curated Steve Wynn’s collection at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, helped bring cutting-edge contemporary art to the Las Vegas Art Museum before resigning because of budget tightening. The museum closed three months later.
Lumpkin began working for the Ruvo Center this month and has been asking artists to participate in the program. Works by Gehry will also be on display and for sale at the center. […] Lumpkin’s expertise in contemporary art and the complexities of art installation, and her relationships with artists, will enable the center to obtain works by quality artists, Ruvo said. Frank Gehry’s name, building and relationships with artists are also key: “It’s very exciting to be leveraging Frank’s friends and resources. He has an amazing group of artist friends.”
Museum Pieces to Fill Masterpiece Architecture of Ruvo Center (Las Vegas Sun)
