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This page last updated on 01/28/2017
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| (Fig. 01) |
Last week I made another of my annual pilgrimages with my friend Jim Herring to the latest exhibit of Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Garden. This year Bellagio's Conservatory and Botanical Gardens has transfered its 14,000 square-foot floral garden into a celebration of the rooster. Upon entering the Conservatory, visitors will walk through a 16-foot traditional Moon Gate (Fig. 01), a symbolic statement of what is ahead. Framed by huge Sun Flowers, there are a series of four "dancing" streams of water overhead. Each end of the walkway is framed with four large ding pots (Fig. 02 below) that "burn" incense for good luck, protecting guests against bad fortune. (scroll down for more)
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| (Fig. 02) |
When you each the end of the entryway, the west garden confronts you with the centerpiece of the exhibit, a 10-foot high animated chicken who ruffles its wings atop a 35-foot-tall mountain. In a cave-like portion of the mountain, a hen guarders her nest of golden eggs and her chicks (Fig. 04). As you can see from (Fig. 03), there are dozens of young "chicks" frolicking around the top of the mountain. It is amazing how real looking they have made these little guys (Fig. 05).
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| (Fig. 03) |
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| (Fig. 04) |
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| (Fig. 05) |
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| (Fig. 06) |
In the south garden a huge cherry tree (Fig. 06), a sign of the coming spring towers over a wooden bridge covering a river full of live fish. It is flanked by several red rose lanterns (Fig.07). On the north side of the 35-foot mountain there is a waterfall that flows into a large lake and two very life-like Chinese figures (Fig. 08). In the middle of the lake there is a larger than life sun-flower (Fig. 09). Located directly behind the mountain there is a beautiful Painting made from trees and flower (Fig. 10). (con't below)
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| (Fig.07) |
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| (Fig. 08) |
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| (Fig. 09) |
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| (Fig. 10) |
In the north garden a a scale sized model of the Bellagio Hotel (Fig. 11), a luxurious hotel set to open in Shanghai as a joint venture between Diaoyutai State Guesthouse China and MGM Resorts, set to open in the first quarter of 2017. It will feature 165 luxury guestrooms, including 25 suites with an art deco finish. In addition to three food and beverage outlets, there is also a lobby and lounge dining area serving English and Shanghainese style afternoon tea that features Diaoyutai speciality coffee. The venue will also play host to variety of facilities including a ‘Zen’ Spa, large ballroom, 24-hour gym, indoor swimming pool and over 2,000 square meters of shopping space. The beauty of this exhibit is in the details (Figs. 12-15). You have until March 4th to visit this exhibit.
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| (Fig. 11) |
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| (Fig. 12) |
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| (Fig. 13) |
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| (Fig. 14) |
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| (Fig. 15) |
The pictures in this exhibit's floral picture are representative of the current exhibition in the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art entitled, "TOWN AND COUNTRY: FROM DEGAS TO PICASSO". Organized in partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this exhibition brings together European and American paintings that showcase how images of urban and rural life changed in relation to the Industrial Revolution. Featuring works by van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and others.
