Artist Showcases ‘Inner Sanctum’ with Installation
Artist Troy Gillett used a 1960s European art style and reclaimed wood to create “Inner Sanctum,” an installation which opens Monday, Aug. 13 at the Rotunda Gallery inside the Clark County Government Center, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway in downtown Las Vegas. The installation is inspired by Arte Povera, an art movement five decades old that consisted primarily of performance work and sculptures that used humble, everyday materials. Gillett will be available to speak about this inspiration, as well as other aspects of his work, at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4. Other events with the artist include a reception and preview from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6 and First Friday festivities from 5 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 7 and Oct. 5. All events for this exhibit are held at the Clark County Government Center.
“Inner Sanctum” is an enclosed space built by the artist within the public space of the Rotunda Gallery. It is composed of six doors from various Las Vegas locales, selections based on the level of urban decay. Traditionally, the door is a powerful symbol, evoking passage, transition, home and privacy. While they show weather and hardship, the doors’ circular arrangement, side by side, may suggest more hopeful notions of community and the cyclical nature of art and life.
Originally from Alberta, Canada, Gillett earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1994. Gillett owns his own construction company, but returned to his studio after a 17-year hiatus when the economic downturn created more time for him to conceptualize and create sart. Over the years, Gillett has shown his work in Las Vegas spaces including the Marjorie Barrick Museum, Contemporary Arts Center and the Donna Beam Fine Arts Gallery. Most recently his artwork was included in the collaborative group exhibition “10 x 10” also in the Rotunda Gallery. Currently, his installation, “common thread,” a tribute to firefighters from Sept. 11, is on exhibit inside the Lied Library at UNLV.
Those interested in “Inner Sanctum” can call Patrick Gaffey at 455-7340 or visit the web site at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/parks. Events and activities at Clark County Parks and Recreation also can be found on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook by visiting http://tinyurl.com/4dfw8ea.
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Clark County is a dynamic and innovative organization dedicated to providing top-quality service with integrity, respect and accountability. With jurisdiction over the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and covering an area the size of New Jersey, Clark is the nation’s 14th-largest county and provides extensive regional services to more than 2 million citizens and 42 million visitors a year. Included are the nation’s 8th-busiest airport, air quality compliance, social services and the state’s largest public hospital, University Medical Center. The county also provides municipal services that are traditionally provided by cities to almost 900,000 residents in the unincorporated area. Those include fire protection, roads and other public works, parks and recreation, and planning and development.