"Vegas Spectacular" an exhibition at the World Market Center... TONIGHT ONLY...

Vegas Spectacular: From the Stage to the Strip

An exhibition by Brian Paco Alvarez, 

Curator, Las Vegas News Bureau 

A photographic retrospective from the Las Vegas News Bureau Archives that explores the relationship between the spectacle of the stage show and the city's exaggerated architectural vernacular of the 1960's.  

This exhibition explores the relationship between the stage performances and spectacles that have defined Las Vegas as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and its unique architectural vernacular. From its earliest development as a resort destination, Las Vegas attracted visitors with famous entertainers and over-the-top stage spectacles. The resorts competed with each other by bringing in the biggest names in entertainment and would go as far as importing famous shows from Paris, France to perform in their showrooms.

Over time this one-upmanship spilled off the stage and onto the famous Las Vegas Strip. The hotels began developing signage to advertise their stage performances. The relatively modest roadside signs of the 1950s evolved into monumental signs that grew by hundreds of feet. By the time the 1960s came about the resorts were out doing one another with enormous marquees emblazoned with flashing neon and chasing lights. Eventually the resorts themselves became the spectacle and the Strip became its stage. 

The exhibition will be open to the public TONIGHT ONLY (Tuesday, January 25) during the preview screening of the film Bob and Denise, a documentary about architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott-Brown authors of the seminal book on Las Vegas - Learning from Las Vegas. In addition there will be a preview of the short documentary Saving Lieb House and an exhibition of drawings by Robert Venturi. Jim Venturi, son of Bob and Denise will be present during the screening.

The event will take place this evening at the World Market Center at 6:30 p.m., as part of the Las Vegas Market Design Series. The event is free and open to the public. Building C, Room 301

World Market Center

495 South Grand Central Parkway

Las Vegas, Nevada 89106

http://www.lasvegasmarket.com/index.html

Brian Paco Alvarez enculturating Las Vegas into the millennium...