Godt-Cleary to Downtown: Let Me Be Your Neighbor

"...No other gallery or store is like Godt-Cleary, communicating elevated lifestyle so fluidly, offering intimacy of expression and large ideas..." *

Bet you didn't know that! The local weeklies are abuzz with the addition of the Godt-Cleary Gallery to the Downtown arts scene. Hopes are high that the lifestyle-elevating gallery will provide an influx of art patrons that Downtown couldn't attract otherwise. But there are some whisperings that Big Apple attitude is handicapping the gallery.

"... the gallery creates a destination for shoppers seeking the new, the best, the classic and current as means to shape the lives they inhabit..." *

Their attitude towards potential clients seems to show an unfortunate bias to what they must be used to back east. Vegas is full of high rollers, some who don't necessarily look the part. A couple in blue jeans and t-shirts may have deeper pockets than the well-dressed pair next to them, and casinos are attuned to that fact. But apparently unless you are dressed to impress, you aren't going to be given much attention on entering the gallery. And if they don't think much of the folks in Mandalay Bay, it will be interesting to see how they react to the Main Street crowd.

"...Godt-Cleary Projects aims to expand and diversify its program while integrating more completely within the Las Vegas community. As both locations continue to present the best of contemporary art today, we hope that our participation and commitment to the area will serve as a catalyst for continued growth and expansion for the arts..." *

The Downtown location is a flurry of activity, with the drywall going up this week. The gallery looks to be at least twice as big as its neighbor, Dust Gallery. It will be curious to see if Godt-Cleary Projects is a viable gallery or just an attractive storage space. With the occasional crackhead taking up residence in the alley between Main St. and Commerce, security will be an issue. The first show there will be a retrospective of actor/artist Dennis Hopper. This isn't the first time Mr. Hopper has inaugurated a new artistic venture in Vegas. He was a big proponent of the Guggenheim's "The Art of the Motorcycle" show, authored entries in the show's catalog, and attended the opening of the now-closed Venetian venue. It was 3 years ago that the Guggenheim opened its large space, and 15 months later closed it. So, if Godt-Cleary Projects closes before next January, one might see a pattern. So while watching to see if the latest addition to Main St. has any staying power, it will be interesting to see what kind of neighbor they will be.