Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
carry the distinction of having sold art to the “big get” in contemporary
art—the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
u
The Arts Factory
(101-107 E. Charleston Blvd.;
%
702/676
-
1111; www.the
artsfactory.com; generally open Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri noon-5pm, and up
until 9pm on the first Fri of each month).
Once a crematorium, later a paper
factory (keep an eye out for the giant pencil still on the building), the Arts
Factory is a literal beehive of tiny galleries set in two adjoining buildings.
Ascend the paint-splattered steps here, and you'll find a warren of rooms,
some of which contain commercial art concerns and about eight dedicated
to fine arts. It can be difficult to figure out if the galleries are open or not, so
don't be shy about knocking. Sometimes the artists are there, but so involved
in their creations they forget to sell. The focus of the artists here seems to be
on abstract art, with a smattering of brightly colored representational works
as well.
u
Holsum Lofts
(241 W. Charleston Blvd.; www.holsumlofts.com).
Just across
the highway, set in a former Bread Factory, the upscale Holsum Lofts are a
mixed-mall of homewares and art (buy a sofa and then a painting to hang
above it!). Because it's brand spanking new, the six galleries here look more
like their brethren in other big cities—all gleaming white walls, framed
works, and Mac-topped desks. Art of the former Soviet Union is on sale in
one gallery, while the others seem to be devoted to the works of the artists
who own them.
How good is the art on view? Ah well, that's in the eye of the beholder and the
beholders haven't come to a uniform consensus. Local artist M. Griesgraber
griped to me that “people could care less about the arts in this town. It's all very
unsophisticated, as is the art.” But just fifteen minutes later, his neighboring
gallery owner Alan Tager boasted “We're seeing the best in contemporary art from
around the world. The city's goal is to make itself the largest art and cultural cen-
ter in the U.S., and that's my goal, too.” Which one is right? I'd say the reality lies
somewhere in the middle.
HISTORY
Near, far, wherever you are . . . if you can't get enough of the
Titanic
, you're not
alone. In the last ten years, the tragic iceberg sinking of this ocean liner has
inspired a successful Broadway musical, the largest grossing film of all time, and
countless specials on the Discovery Network. It also has given rise to a traveling
show of
Titanic
artifacts that is now permanently docked at the Tropicana. Called
Titanic:
The Exhibit
5
(in the Tropicana;
%
800/829
-
9034; www.tropicanalv.
com;
$
31 with the audio tour,
$
26 without; daily 10am-11pm; AE, DISC, MC, V),
it showcases 300 actual artifacts robbed from the watery graves . . . uh, I mean
rescued from the wreck 12,500 feet beneath the surface of the ocean. To be fair,
the RMS
Titanic
, Inc., which holds salvage rights to the ship and retrieved many
of the objects seen here (others are loaned from private collections), has left the
hull and all its contents intact and has only brought to the surface those things
scattered on the ocean floor. They're more than enough to keep your interest,
from glass and china with the Whitestar logo, to jewelry, photos, lamps, and
more. Along with these objects, the exhibit re-creates some areas of the ship, gives
