What is it about Las Vegas? The gambling? The neon? The fast-living?
Once again, the 28th largest U.S. city has proven that it has no, or very little, interest in art museums. A recent article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, reviewing the status of the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Arts, says the museum generally receives just 15 to 20 visitors a day, mostly tourists. It charges just $3 in admission.
The museum, withe 22,000 sq ft of gallery space, has since 2008 been located on the second floor of the Neonopolis (left). Originally, it was in Henderson, NV — about 15 miles away.
It’s currently showing International Contemporary Masters, an exhibit of 176 works by 70 artists. I can’t vouch for the quality, which — judging from the website — may be a problem. But the museum director, Joseph Palermo, chalks up the lack of interest to lack of recognition by the community.
“Most people who come through here say they didn’t know we were here, and they never heard of us,” he said in the LVRJ. “It takes a long time to establish something. How often do you go to a museum? Once a year? Once every six months?”
The SNMFA was started in 2003, and aims to focus on “local, regional and international artists.” It is accredited by the American Association of Museums.
Las Vegas residents have shown a startling lack of interest in art, what with allowing the Las Vegas Art Museum to close, scrapping plans for a contemporary art museum, leaving land designated for a sculpture garden to go empty — and now this. More details are here, here and here.
Is there any rational explanation for this amazing situation?
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Neonopolis