The Bellagio adds to its bevy of free attractions with a new art installation

Reporting from Las Vegas —  As if the Bellagio didn’t have enough free attractions to fill an afternoon, the swanky resort is now adding one more — a sculpture installation from Masatoshi Izumi.

The Japanese sculptor created “A Gift From the Earth” from four hand-carved basalt stones that weigh between 17,000 and 27,000 pounds each. Dubbed Wind, Fire, Water and Land, each sculpture represents one of Earth’s four elements.

Izumi worked on the sculpture, which was created from cooled Japanese lava, for 18 months. When used in Japanese art, basalt represents the origins of the island nation.
“Art and culture are integral to the Bellagio experience, with original works throughout the resort, in addition to rotating exhibits at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art,” Tarissa Tiberti, executive director of MGM Resorts Fine Art Collection, said in a press statement. “The Izumi installation is a tremendous addition to this experience and is a beautiful representation of the authentic art forms within the Japanese culture.”

The new art can be found just outside of the hotel’s main entrance.

Izumi, who was born into a family of stone carvers in Japan, also has a piece “Cactus Life — Living with Earth” at Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas.

Other free attractions at the Bellagio include the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, which just unveiled its spring display, the Fountains at Bellagio and the 18-foot chandelier glass sculpture “Fiori di Como” by glass sculptor Dale Chihuly in the lobby.

Info: Bellagio