The Flashlight turns 30 Juried Anniversary Exhibition

John Coulter writes:

“Hi Lilla,
Recently UNLV had an exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of the installation of the Flashlight, by Claes Oldenburg and Coojse Van Bruggen.

The Call for Entries:
The 30th anniversary of the installation of the Flashlight will be celebrated in 2011. Situated on the campus of UNLV between the Ham Concert Hall and the Judy Bayley Theater, Flashlight is a 38 feet tall, 74,000 pound, all steel pop art sculpture installed in 1981. To commemorate the occasion, the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery is hosting a juried exhibition. We invite Southern Nevada artists to respond with your interpretation of this pop icon, one of the first public art pieces in Southern Nevada.

Respond to Flashlight with an original work of art. We are looking for your response be it an interpretation, adaptation, modification, alteration, incorporation, deviation, transformation…

I entered 3 pieces: a diptych oil painting, a wire sculpture (inspired by Alexander Calder) and a collage/painting (using the escort cards found on the Las Vegas Strip), and all 3 were accepted.
I won 2nd place for the wire sculpture, here are judge’s comments:
“This person took time to craft an object which looks like a 3-d drawing of the flashlight where the negative spaces have as much to say as the positive ones. I am hopeful that this sculpture looks as good in person.”

By the way, the flashlight in the sculpture is upside down, so it glows from the bottom at night. Visitors to Las Vegas should make sure they visit the Flashlight, its monumental in person.

Thanks
John”