Five new large-format art pieces are coming to the Reno Neon Line.
The sculptures are all created by artists who have featured art at Burning Man. Four of the sculptures were displayed at Burning Man previously with the fifth being commissioned.
These sculptures will be located on the north side of West 4th Street, across the street from J Resort and its upcoming 70,000 square-foot expansion, which begins construction this summer. The addition of these pieces of art will take J Resort's Reno Neon Line to a total of 13 sculptures.
At J Resort's upcoming front entrance as part of their expansion, a new sculpture is coming as well, currently being created in Italy by world-renowned artist Richard Erdman. Richard has spent over a year creating his 20-foot-tall marble masterpiece, Belladonna, and will soon be sending it on its voyage to San Francisco” said Jacobs Entertainment CEO Jeff Jacobs.
CHeck out some of the installations below.
New Installations
“Odyssey” by Clayton Blake - Clayton Blake, a native Australian, is an installation artist widely recognized for his large-scale works that employ various elements of architecture and sculpture. Blake creates art that is interactive, inhabitable, and participatory in an attempt to expand the definition of art to include new forms of social engagement. His work has been displayed globally, including Burning Man and now J Resort’s Reno Neon Line, where his piece “Odyssey” is installed. This statue, a rocket ship made of metals, represents the innate human desire to explore, discover, and travel.
“Jibaro Soy” by Mark Rivera - Mark Rivera (also known as Kidnetick) is an artist from Santurce, Puerto Rico, who specializes in experiential street art, with artwork located across the world. “Jíbaro Soy” honors Rivera’s culture by depicting jíbaros, or traditional Puerto Rican farmers, and uses this sculpture to symbolize Puerto Ricans’ history and strength in caring for their people and land. Early in 2023, Rivera was displaced from his home in Puerto Rico, when he was awarded the Honoraria grant by The Burning Man Project, a grant for artists globally who want to create sculptures for the festival. This led him to move to California to build this sculpture for Burning Man 2023.
“Lincoln Bear” by Lisa Ferguson and Robert Alan Ferguson - Lisa and Robert Alan Ferguson, also known as “Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson,” are a husband and wife artist duo who met in 2008 at Burning Man. They have since established themselves as an artist duo that creates sculptures from unique and nostalgic materials, with many of their art pieces being featured at Burning Man. The Fergusons are known for making sculptures with pennies as the main material, with this technique featured in their sculpture “Lincoln Bear,” depicting a larger-than-life bear seated in a chair, now being installed at J Resort's Reno Neon Line.
“Desert Guard'' by Lu Ming - Lu Ming’s statue “Desert Guard” from Burning Man 2018 returns to J Resort’s Reno Neon Line. This statue draws inspiration from the armor worn by Genghis Khan, the leader of the Mongolian empire that dominated China in the 14th century. This artwork is a symbol of warfare and speaks a cautionary message about the perils of the development of weapons and technology. The statue’s armor is 32 feet tall and weighs 5.5 tons with the soul of a Mongolian warrior embedded in the armor.
“Neptune’s Luminous Dance” — currently being commissioned by Abram Santa Cruz - Liquid PXL, led by Abram Santa Cruz, is based out of Los Angeles. They are a group of artists and engineers who set out to craft interactive art installations. They are committed to fostering communal joy in public spaces through immersive art experiences and especially embrace an array of LED technologies. They have had art displayed at Burning Man since 2012 and are currently creating “Neptune’s Luminous Dance” specifically for J Resort’s Reno Neon Line.
Jacobs Entertainment will soon be announcing their master plans for all of West 4th Street between Keystone and West Street, including a "picture-perfect vista of Reno's new front yard." according to Jacobs. Jeff Jacobs in other interviews has mentioned the zip line was being replaced with a new attraction.