By Anna Dunn By Anna Dunn | May 8, 2023 | Culture, Culture Feature,
Tamara Kvesitadze, “Man and Woman” (2017)
A colorful collection of diverse artworks has blossomed at Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art.
From the outside, the new In Bloom exhibition at Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art appears to be an Instagram moment. The vibrant floral wall and neon sign invite selfies, but what lies beyond the gallery’s doors is something much more thought provoking.
Works by Terry Winters, Ai Weiwei, Rachel Kneebone, Alex Katz and Jiří Georg Dokoupil are on view in Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art’s In Bloom through Sept. 10
In collaboration with the Santa Fe-based Tia Collection (tiacollectioncatalogues.org), MGM Resorts’ Art & Culture department, led by director Demecina Beehn, curated the new exhibit. An ode to the themes of spring—metamorphosis, rebirth, humanity—In Bloom was the natural title for this kaleidoscopic collection of works. “One of the feelings I wanted to imbue our visitors’ experience with is a new vibrancy,” Beehn says. “There are works that relate directly to the overarching theme, and there are many that seem like a further leap. When we distill down the essence of spring, it is truly a moment of collective change and rejuvenation. I see many of the works in relationship to those two ideas. I hope to help spark deeper conversations with this exhibition.” In Bloom also focuses on diversity, highlighting works by women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. “To be able to feature such an array of artists in this exhibition was extremely important for all involved,” Beehn says. “Not only have some of the works and artists never been shown together, but there is something for everyone when they walk through the gallery.” The stunning result is a thoughtful mix across mediums: painting, sculpture, photography and more. Take a stroll through the garden to see for yourself. Through Sept. 10, bellagio.mgmresorts.com
Salvador Dalí, “Alice in Wonderland” (c. 1977-1984).
Visual artist Judy Tuwaletstiwa’s “text. shards 5” is on view in In Bloom.“‘Shards 5’ is a mesmerizing mirage,” says Demecina Beehn, head of MGM Resorts Art & Culture. “When viewed from a distance, the layers of color appear soft and fabric-like, but upon closer inspection, you realize they are hard solid forms. Even then you are in disbelief of the painting made of glass shards.” Here, Tuwaletstiwa reveals her creative process.
Yinka Shonibare CBE, “Bling Painting” (2013)
How did you create this piece? Using glass powders, I mixed the most subtle to the most vibrant colors and fired them at a relatively low heat, 250 degrees, so that the glass fused yet retained its relationship to the geologically rich material from which it comes: sand. … I used a very small silver spoon… [to form] each shard on the kiln shelf.
Judy Tuwaletstiwa, “text. shards 5” (2020, kiln-fired glass on canvas), 48 inches by 84 inches, courtesy of Tia Collection, Santa Fe, N.M. “TEXT. SHARDS 5”
How does this piece fit into the overarching In Bloom theme? This exhibition explores the fullness of life, the promise of spring, the wonder of bloom. The pieces show many different facets of those concepts. The bright colors of the low-fired glass flower in their own way. This piece is one way to think of regeneration, especially if you imagine the millions of years it takes for the forces of nature to reduce a rock to sand, and then of the power of fire, in the kiln, to take that same silica and fuse it into a solid mass again.
What do you hope guests take away from viewing the work? A renewed sense of wonder about regeneration. And, wonder at the use of the material—glass—that we usually think of as ‘transparent’ and ‘shiny,’ as a very natural element that reflects light back to us as a rock or a tree trunk do: a sense of wonder at the beauty of light and color. Also, an appreciation of the magic that lies in the details out of which comes the whole.
Photography by: PHOTO BY JENKS IMAGING; PHOTO BY ERIC SWANSON PHOTOGRAPHY/COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND PIE PROJECTS