Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art – Warhol Out West

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art – Warhol Out West Description

Along with its famous fountains, the conservatory, high-end shopping, world-class restaurants and luxurious accommodations, the Bellagio is also home to the Gallery of Fine Art. Every year the gallery features a different exhibit, showcasing some of the most famous artists from around the world.

Currently the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is showcasing "Warhol Out West." Organized in partnership with The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, this exhibition includes 56 of the artist's works including paintings, sculptures, photographs, screen prints and wallpaper.

"Our exhibit at Bellagio is the only comprehensive Andy Warhol collection in the United States outside of his namesake museum in Pittsburgh and we recognize what a tremendous honor this is for our city," said Tiberti. "Everywhere you look in Las Vegas, you can see the impact of Warhol's creative genius and it is remarkable how his life and art continue to transcend generations."

This unique exhibit features many iconic pieces by Warhol. Visitors will see 12 pieces from the artist's rarely seen "Cowboys and Indians" series, including prints of Geronimo, John Wayne, Gen. George Armstrong Custer, Annie Oakley, President Theodore Roosevelt and more. A towering "Double Elvis" painting is also included in the exhibit as well as iconic examples from Warhol's Campbell's Soup can series.

A series of Polaroids shot by Warhol, and used as part of his artistic process, provide a valuable behind-the-scenes look at how the artist captured the personality of his celebrity friends and clients. Some of Warhol's more unusual works on display include his wallpaper featuring a cow and the interactive "Silver Clouds" room offering a chance to experience a different side of the artist famous for his pop art paintings and celebrity portraits. Of special note are two paintings featuring renowned Santa Fe artist Georgia O'Keeffe. In them, Warhol offers a hauntingly intimate view of O'Keeffe in her '90s.

One of the most influential artists in the visual art movement known as pop art, Warhol based his creative depiction of celebrity, ads, comic books and products in popular culture.  

"We hope visitors to the gallery think about the relationship of the images in front of them with the landscape of Las Vegas, from the kitsch to the fabulous and everything in between," said Eric Shiner, director of The Andy Warhol Museum. "As Las Vegas is key to understanding America, there is no better place than Bellagio for us to share our Andy Warhol artworks. Whether Elvis, Liz, Campbell's Soup or a Brillo Box, Warhol's subjects represent America in all of its many guises."

Photo credit: Andy Warhol, Geronimo, 1986, Collection of The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh © 2012