Troy Gillett “Inner Sanctum”
Monday, August 13 – Friday, October 5
Clark County Government Center Rotunda Gallery, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway
Artist reception, Preview Thursday, September 6, 6 to 8 p.m. 

Troy Gillett’s Inner Sanctum is an Arte Povera-inspired, three-dimensional installation constructed of reclaimed wood in the Rotunda Gallery. Arte Povera was an art movement that developed in Europe in the late 60’s and consisted primarily of performance work or “happenings” and sculptures that used humble, everyday materials. Among other objectives, the movement attempted to blur the lines between art and life, and likewise Gillett is interested in this  overlap. “Inner Sanctum” is an enclosed space built by the artist within the public space of the Rotunda Gallery. It is composed of six “found” 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, privacy. These aged, repurposed doors carry the extra weight of recent economic hardship and the housing crisis; however, their circular arrangement side by side may suggest more hopeful notions of community and the cyclical nature of art and life. Physically, the structure creates an intimate space of contemplation for the viewer, and the artist invites the viewer to become the human presence within the piece.   O

Originally from Alberta, Canada, Troy Gillett earned his BA from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1994. After a 17-year hiatus from making art, Gillett returned to his studio practice, as the economic downturn resulted in more time to think about and to make art. The artist continues to work in the commercial construction industry in Las Vegas, where he has lived since 1990. He is interested in the conversation between subject matter and material and often works with found objects to elevate, reincarnate, and question.  Gillett has shown in several  group and juried exhibitions at Las Vegas spaces including the Marjorie Barrick Museum, Contemporary Arts Center and the Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. Most recently, he was included in the collaborative group exhibition “10 x 10” in the Rotunda Gallery, and he is currently showing common thread, an installation that pays tribute to the 9/11 firefighters in the Lied Library at UNLV.