It seemed like such a brilliant combination: high traffic, high rollers and high art. But 12 years after Steve Wynn opened the Bellagio with a very expensive collection of Impressionist and Modern paintings, art is taking a beating in Las Vegas. Wynn himself carelessly put a hole in a Picasso while showing it off at another Vegas casino four years ago. Now it seems the rest of the world who comes to Vegas thinks art is there for the trashing. Here’s the Las Vegas Weekly who observed:

Just take a gander at what is and isn’t on the floor of the newly christened Cosmopolitan. Objects d’art on display opening week were removed shortly after for repair. The Roark Gourley high-gloss 9-foot stiletto shoes on the second-floor promenade are nicked and chipped, possibly by photo-snapping tourists lost in a Disneyland moment, some of whom crawled into the insole for a more enveloping big-shoe experience. […]

Speaking of art on the Strip: We’re still wondering what happened to that Julian Schnabel suite of Christopher Walken photographs outside the Deuce bar at Aria. A bouncer reportedly told guests that one of the photographs was damaged by a reveler and removed, but an Aria publicist has not responded to requests for comment.

Vegas Vistors Disrespect and Even Damage Art in Our Hotels (Las Vegas Weekly)

It seems like everyone in the New York art world is making their way to Las Vegas these days.

Lindsay Pollock went out to the desert and brought back these pictures of the art at CityCenter.

Prosper and Martine Assouline have just announced the opening of their flagship store there.

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. […]Continue Reading