When you think of a land-based casino, the first thing that springs to mind is unlikely to be impressive displays of artwork. Instead, images of table games, slot machines and flurries of thrilling activity tend to pop up in one’s mind. But some casinos have more to offer than gambling and playing games. A casino can also showcase incredible paintings, thought-provoking artistic displays and attention-grabbing sculptures. A perfect example is Las Vegas’ world-famous Bellagio, which has been transformed, on several occasions, into a world-class art gallery.
Bellagio Art Masterpieces
While to many of us it is recognisable as the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in the gambling capital of the world Las Vegas, to others, this famous landmark is also recognised as the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. If you have ever been lucky enough to visit the Bellagio, you will probably understand the claim that one feels as if they have stepped into a grand art gallery the moment they enter the reception lobby. To greet customers is the luxurious and eye-catching glass chandelier by Dave Chihuly adorning the reception ceiling.
Move onwards past the chandelier and head into the Gallery of Fine Art. Each year, amazing exhibitions are held, enabling onlookers to experience many exquisite, new art pieces each time. While the display isn’t particularly extensive, the selections have been very carefully curated and feature many elite artists.
The Bellagio Fine Art Gallery
The Bellagio Fine Art Gallery also holds valuable partnerships with several foundations and museums across the globe. As a result, at past exhibitions, spectators have observed work from the likes of Andy Warhol, Faberge, Picasso and pieces from the Museum of Fine Art, plus more.
This year at the gallery is particularly anticipated, as the Bellagio will be welcoming brilliant fine art by Yayoi Kusama. One of the most prominent contemporary artists on the planet, Kusama wants to give viewers into their soul. ‘Narcissus Garden’ is the first of her intriguing installations; which sees dots transformed into one-foot diameter spheres. Also replying on accumulation and repetition is Kasuma’s second instalment: ‘Aftermath of Obliteration of Eternity’ which is a darkened small room, lined with mirrors and embellished with LED lanterns.
In the art world, there is no doubt that MoMa is the most popular art gallery to visit, and exhibits only the finest artists. However, the Bellagio Fine Art Gallery is also an incredibly elegant exhibition, showcasing equally fine artists. First and foremost, of course, the Bellagio is a luxury hotel and casino resort, owned and operated by MGM Resorts International. The grand building was built on the same site as the Dunes Hotel and Casino.
Inspired by the beautiful town of Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy, the Las Vegas Bellagio resort is famed for its sophistication and elegance. Making it stand out from a crowd of luxury hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas Strip is a lake between the hotel and the road, which showcases the famous Fountains of Bellagio. The water of the fountain ‘dances’ in synchronisation with music, and crowds of spectators gather daily to observe the spectacular show.
The Bellagio is also well-known for its Poker Room, also known as ‘The Office’. Many highly-professional poker players love to play here, and it has also partnered with the World Poker Tour to host many internationally-famous poker tournaments.
The Borgata Gallery of Fine Art
Another famous casino in Atlantic City is the Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa; this too is a casino that showcases brilliant artwork exhibitions. Borgata is also famous for its striking architecture; its golden tower visible for miles around Atlantic City. The enormous golden construction houses a convention centre, theatre and ballroom, alongside its casino and fine art gallery.
Many huge shows have been staged at Borgata. These have attracted plenty of A-list celebrities too, including Britney Spears, Cher and Kings of Leon. Ringo Starr, the drummer from The Beatles, also had a show at Borgata’s Music Box Theatre. A pop-up art gallery was hosted which also featured artwork by Ringo. Additionally, some of Dale Chihuly’s pieces have featured around the casino.
It appears that The Bellagio isn’t the only casino to display Chihuly’s artwork. Borgata has hosted contemporary glass art, and in 2003 Chihuly left an impressive range of blown glass sculptures and chandeliers. Similar to The Bellagio, people are greeted by an exquisitely beautiful chandelier in the building’s main lobby, with striking columns adorning the grand entrance.
Casinos and External Artwork
We’ve so far looked into beautiful art pieces featured internally at famous casinos, but art is more than just physical masterpieces. Several famous artists such as David Hockney and Zdzisław Beksiński transformed the medium of their art and created amazing virtual displays on their computers. This innovative artwork further led to the development of computer art designers.
In the modern world, we are very familiar with digital graphics, logos, brand designs and digitally-manipulated images. During the decade of the 1990’s, websites were vibrant but limited, slow to load and with poor quality graphics, in comparison with the websites of today. Thanks to the evolution of technology, websites and web designers have improved dramatically.
In order to be sufficiently attention-grabbing, a brand should feature a modern, understated logo which looks appealing and is easily remembered. Besides the logo, a brand should offer a high-quality website. A good website will load at speed and appear modern, fresh and simplistic, as well as appealing to the eye. The colour range should be limited and it is important that the shades complement each other.
In the case of online casinos – the superb Gold Rush Slots as an example – the logo should be eye-catching and recognisable also. The website is the face of the casino and should be just as visually appealing; this creates a positive initial impression and is likely to capture a visitor’s attention.
Often, it is in the hands of the designer to produce a web template or build upon an existing one to create a successful website. Some users prefer a standard, classic design, while others will be impressed by a modern and innovative appearance. One overall “rule”, however, is that the site should always be user-friendly.
An impressive website loads quickly, no matter where it is accessed from. Casino sites require a sign-up page, and it is crucial that the highest levels of security are in place. The registration should be simple and short, and it should be easy to navigate to the games library. A variety of widgets on the homepage is very useful, but not too many, as a widget-heavy site can end up slow to load.
It’s also majorly important in today’s world for a website to be mobile-friendly. This wasn’t so crucial in the 90’s and early noughties, but today most online gamblers access online slot sites from their mobiles. Additionally, a casino needs to demonstrate credibility and reliability. There should be clearly displayed licenses, partnerships and certifications on the online casino homepage.