BLUE ANGEL: BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, AN EXHIBITION OF THE BLUE ANGEL MOTEL SIGN AT NEON MUSEUM’S NE10 STUDIO,
MAY 24 – JULY 6
The Neon Museum announces, “Blue Angel: Between Heaven and Earth,” the limited-time exhibition of the iconic Blue Angel Motel sign at its new Ne10 Studio, located at 1001 West Bonanza Road on the Las Vegas Review-Journal campus, beginning May 24. This exhibition is organized in collaboration with the Desert Space Foundation with support from the City of Las Vegas Mayor’s Office, as well as the City of Las Vegas Centennial Committee, which will fund the Blue Angel’s restoration.
The classic mid-century Blue Angel hovered above the Blue Angel Motel from circa 1957 until its removal for restoration by the City of Las Vegas in 2017. Designed by beloved local sign designer Betty Willis, who received worldwide attention for creating the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, the Blue Angel will reemerge for this temporary exhibit at the Neon Museum’s Ne10 Studio before undergoing restoration.
The Angel will be surrounded by signs from the Neon Museum collection and featured alongside Blue Angel-inspired images by multiple artists, including Joshua Abbey, Jonnie Anderson, Robert Beckman, Montana Black, Jeff Fey, Emily Fromm, Nancy Good, Myles Jablin, Sean Jones, Bryan McCormick, Jerry Misko, Wade Schuster, James Stanford and Mikayla Whitmore.
For many local residents, as well as artists participating in this exhibition, the Blue Angel represents a guardian angel of sorts for Las Vegas. Displaying the figure in preparation for its restoration was conceived as a sign of renewal, hope and healing for the city, especially in the aftermath of the 1 October tragedy.
An opening reception will be held on Thursday, May 24, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Ne10. The exhibition will be free and open to the public Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. from May 25 through July 6.
ABOUT THE NEON MUSEUM
Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts and cultural enrichment. It has been ranked No. 1 in Las Vegas Weekly’s list of “Twenty Greatest Attractions in Las Vegas History,” one of “Sin City’s Best Retro Sites” by MSN, “No. 1 Las Vegas Museum Sure to Entertain and Educate” by USAToday’s 10best.com, “One of the Top 10 Coolest Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do” by Forbes.com, one of the “Top 10 Historic Spots in Las Vegas” by Vegas.com; one of “15 Most Fascinating Museums in the U.S.” by VacationIdea.com; and earns a consistent 4.5 out of 5 rating on TripAdvisor. On its 2.27-acre campus, the Neon Museum houses an outdoor exhibition space known as the Neon Boneyard (“boneyard” is traditionally the name for an area where items no longer in use are stored); the North Gallery, used mainly for education programs and special events; the new Boulevard Gallery outdoor exhibit and event space; and its visitors’ center, housed inside the former La Concha Motel lobby. The museum collection also includes nine restored signs installed as public art throughout downtown Las Vegas and one restored sign on view at the outdoor Fashion Show Plaza on the Las Vegas Strip. Public education, outreach, research, archival preservation and a grant-funded neon sign survey represent a selection of the museum’s ongoing projects. Both the Neon Boneyard and the La Concha Visitors’ Center are located at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North in Las Vegas. For tour schedules and pricing information, visit neonmuseum.org.
ABOUT THE DESERT SPACE FOUNDATION
The Desert Space Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)3 that was created to promote and preserve the art of Rita Deanin Abbey. Desert Space Foundation also produces the Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival, which will mark its 18th year in January 2019.