LAS VEGAS (Dec. 12, 2023) – Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the globally anticipated luxury resort and casino brought to life by Fontainebleau Development, is set to captivate the world with the reveal of its incomparable contemporary fine art collection.
Incorporated into the resort’s elegant design, Fontainebleau Las Vegas’ fine art collection embodies the brand’s decades-long love for creating thought-provoking and immersive displays and entertainment for its guests. The collection will be unveiled to the world at the resort’s grand opening on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023.
“Art, architecture, and design are key components of our Fontainebleau culture and guest experience,” says Fontainebleau Development President Brett Mufson. “The caliber of artists that we have collaborated with to create never-before-seen pieces that will be talked-about for generations is unprecedented. We are so proud to showcase them to the world and all Fontainebleau guests.”
The Fontainebleau Las Vegas fine art collection brings together multiple ideas and disciplines, from larger-than-life murals to kinetic sculptures within the resort. Among the works curated exclusively for Fontainebleau Las Vegas:
Urs Fischer Gallery
Artist: Urs Fischer
Fontainebleau Development has collaborated with Swiss-born artist Urs Fischer to create the Urs Fischer Gallery at the resort’s south lobby entrance. Fischer, who has studios in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, was selected by Fontainebleau Development to install a series of works exclusively for the resort.
Fischer’s Lovers #3, the centerpiece of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas south lobby, is a 46-foot sculpture crafted from aluminum, stainless steel, and gold leaf. A masterpiece-within-a-masterpiece which draws inspiration from movement and motion, Lovers #3 depicts two forms meeting, one balanced on top of the other, and it is designed to be viewed from multiple vantage points.
"Lovers #3 is the connective tissue that draws together a vast body of clever work, oscillating between the absurd and the unfeigned,” Fischer says. “It’s tender and torrid, enveloping and invigorating us through myriad emotions that invite us back into a post-lockdown world, where we seek to connect with individuals, experiences, and objects that genuinely feed our psyche.”
Despite its monumental scale, Fischer's work originates from the intimate act of shaping small pieces of clay by hand, a process he describes as a "sensual and repetitive gesture" before conscious intervention. Only one form, selected from hundreds, undergoes digital scanning and carving at full scale, preserving the nuanced tactility of the original maquette. Lovers #3 emerged from a previous model, collaboratively chosen by Fischer and Fontainebleau Development.
Fischer has also been commissioned to paint two large-scale murals in the same area of the resort, seamlessly integrating them with the sculpture. Both the sculpture and murals draw inspiration from movement and motion, strategically designed for viewing from various vantage points, considering the long escalator and different entry points to the resort. Although the two paintings, titled The Touch and The Eye, mark Fischer's first in this form, they are part of his broader body of work, the Problem Paintings. This series involves juxtaposing formal headshots with unconventional items like lightning bolts and fresh fruit, offering a unique interpretation of the representational systems governing our lives. Fischer maintains this playful juxtaposition in his Fontainebleau Las Vegas murals, with a backdrop featuring a headshot of a blonde woman whose face is obscured by a sizable hardboiled egg. The dynamic brush strokes outlining the woman's face generate a sense of movement, guiding guests through the lobby space.
In explaining his choice of Las Vegas, Fischer highlighted the city's unique blend of old and new, which constantly evolves. He admires Las Vegas for moving beyond the ostentatious hotels and casinos, embracing a more understated and timeless aesthetic embodied by the Fontainebleau name.
Untitled (High Times), 2018-2019
Artist: Richard Prince
Using a blend of oilstick, acrylic, charcoal, and ink jet, Richard Prince brings his signature multi-colored roughly sketched figures to his piece, Untitled 2018-2019, to the main lobby circulation of the resort. Prince's contemporary art piece aims to evoke a sense of mental exhilaration through its dynamic composition of vibrant jewel-toned paint while offering a satirical and humorously critical perspective on the interpretation of American culture. Prince’s work embodies Fontainebleau’s storied legacy of pushing artistic boundaries and embracing provocative creations, inviting guests to engage with the unexpected and redefine their perceptions of contemporary art.
History of Suspended Time
Artist: Gonzalo Lebrija
Located at the southwest casino entrance of the resort, Gonzalo Lebrija’s History of Suspended Time is a sculpture that marks the physical and permanent realization of an earlier performance during which the artist hoisted a restored Valiant Duster above a lake with a crane and then dropped the car into the water while filming it with a high-speed camera, catching the moment just before the car broke the lake's surface. Depicting the massive car delicately poised on the surface of the water, History of Suspended Time creates an uncanny, even sublime, effect, and encourages visitors to think about the automobile as a symbol of modern life and human aspiration. Born in Mexico City, Lebrija’s work spans multiple mediums as the artist looks for ways to communicate through thought-provoking structures and frozen frames.
The inclusion of History of Suspended Time aligns seamlessly with the rich tapestry of Fontainebleau’s iconic visual language and the brand’s legacy as the pinnacle of luxury. The 2,500-pound 1966 Ford Galaxie is positioned strategically to welcome visitors into the space, an image of impossibility come to life – much in the same way Fontainebleau Las Vegas has overcome impossibility to become reality. The sculpture not only explores the concept of the suspension of time, but creates a thought-provoking, multi-layered narrative, adding to Fontainebleau's commitment to curating striking and unique imagery that creates an unforgettable, visually engaging experiences.
Oceans
Artist: BREAKFAST
Brooklyn-based BREAKFAST conceived this interactive kinetic art sculpture – a single arch with movements and transitions that are triggered by real-time data of ocean tides from around the globe – for the southwest entrance to the Fontainebleau Las Vegas casino. The inspiration was to “bring water to the desert” just as Fontainebleau has brought its legacy from Miami to Las Vegas. The curved form of the sculpture mimics the shape of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, while the materials used – marble and brass-tinted steel – draw from same design ethos of the iconic 1950s property.
Oceans merges art and real-time data, portraying the ever-shifting tides globally. Utilizing "brixels," innovative spinning bricks, aligns with the studio's signature, combining geometric precision with organic movements. The sculpture's dynamic waves, fueled by real-time Application Programming Interface (API) data, offer a holistic representation of Earth's aquatic rhythms. As a milestone in BREAKFAST's journey with Brixels, Oceans symbolizes their largest and most accessible work, promising to captivate a diverse audience with its sensory voyage and emotional resonance.
Mirage
Artist: Ivan Navarro
Ivan Navarro's Mirage, located at the base of the Fontainebleau Las Vegas pool district escalators, deftly blurs the lines between art and architecture. Known for his innovative work with glass tubes, mirrors, and lighting, the Chilean-born, Brooklyn-based Navarro delves into the unresolved aspects of minimalism. His pieces challenge traditional boundaries, transforming space into doorways to the unknown, offering a profound exploration of space, territory, and perceptions, all informed by his personal experiences with exile. Mirage beckons viewers to question the distinctions between public and private, accessible and forbidden spaces.
By integrating Navarro's thought-provoking piece into the fabric of the resort, Fontainebleau continues its legacy of being a trailblazer in the fusion of art and hospitality. The installation serves as a living expression of the brand's dedication to providing guests with immersive, cutting-edge experiences that transcend conventional norms. As Fontainebleau has consistently set the stage for cultural innovation, Mirage stands as an emblem of the brand's forward-thinking ethos, inviting patrons to engage with art in a way that is both provocative and profound.
Tim Tadder
Tim Tadder — whose art is described as “1950s nostalgia created by the most contemporary medium” — created 38 works for Fontainebleau Las Vegas using Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to craft a narrative and manipulative generative imagery and bring his vision to life. The works, depicting people in vintage settings with fantastical colorful elements created with AI, are a unique representation of the Fontainebleau brand, bridging the historic Miami property and its inspiration in the Château de Fontainebleau in France with the future of the new, modern Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Photography plays a pivotal role in the Fontainebleau Las Vegas art experience, with the works of Fontainebleau Development Chief Brand and Design Officer Peter Arnell featured throughout the resort’s 3,644 rooms and suites. The collection also includes art by Julian Lorber, Jean Alexander Frater, Kate Blacklock, Eric Moore, Jessie Bloom, Nicholas Biddle, Lynn Dunham, Zoe Pawlak, Jonathan Todryk, Jessica Poundstone, Sebastiaan Knot, Greg Minah, Anna Sidi Yacoub, Alyson Fox, Michael Banks, Rica Belna, Alexandra Lyon, Cassie Suche, and renowned glass and lighting artists Barovier&Toso. The collective creativity of this group forms a tapestry of sensory wonder and innovation, elevating the guest experience at Fontainebleau Las Vegas to an entirely new level.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas resides on nearly 25 acres adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center District on the Las Vegas Strip. The property, acquired in 2021 by Fontainebleau Development in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments, will be solely operated by Fontainebleau Development upon its opening. More information about Fontainebleau Las Vegas, its rooms and suites, dining, and entertainment offerings can be found at fontainebleaulasvegas.com.
About Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Fontainebleau Las Vegas is a 67-story, vertically integrated luxury resort opening December 13, 2023. Rooted in the 70-year history of the iconic Fontainebleau brand, Fontainebleau Las Vegas brings a legacy of timeless elegance and unparalleled service to the Strip. The resort’s thoughtful design allows guests to move effortlessly among 3,644 luxury hotel rooms and suites, 550,000 square feet of customizable meeting and convention space, 150,000 square feet of gaming space, a collection of world-class restaurants and shops, exquisite pools, vibrant nightlife, and vitality-enhancing spa and wellness offerings. Located at 2777 S. Las Vegas Blvd., adjacent to the acclaimed Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, Fontainebleau Las Vegas is created by Fontainebleau Development in partnership with Koch Real Estate Investments.
About Fontainebleau Development, LLC
Fontainebleau Development, founded by Jeffrey Soffer and led by his partner Brett Mufson, is one of the country’s premier real estate development and hospitality groups, with a diverse portfolio that includes properties in the hospitality, gaming, residential, retail, commercial, and luxury services sectors. The company builds, owns, markets, and operates its properties, providing expertise in each stage of a project’s life cycle with a relentless focus on delivering the best quality in everything they do. Fontainebleau Development has established a diverse portfolio of premier assets such as Big Easy Casino, Fontainebleau Miami Beach, JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa, Hilton Downtown Nashville, and numerous residential landmarks such as Turnberry Ocean Club, Turnberry Ocean Colony, Porto Vita, the Tresor and Sorrento towers at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. The company has also built nine residential towers in Las Vegas, including Turnberry Towers and Signature (in partnership with MGM Resorts International). Its luxury services division includes Fontainebleau Aviation, Turnberry Yacht Club & Marina, Turnberry Isle Country Club, and some of the highest-grossing and well-known nightlife, dining, and health and wellness destinations in the world. Over a 70-year history, Fontainebleau has been involved in over 100 projects representing in excess of $38 billion in total transaction value.
Preview Image Source: Photo Credit Mark Mediana DREX Agency
