Tatsuo Miyajima Unveils “Treasure Pagoda” in Las Vegas. Tatsuo Miyajima, HOTO, 2008, Mixed Media, 3,827 LEDs (6 colors, various sizes), electric wire, stainless steel, iron frame, 216 1/8” H x 81 13/16” W
Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima has unveiled his work “HOTO” for the first time in the U.S. at The Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for an indefinite period. Measuring some 18 feet tall and constructed out of 3,827 LEDs, HOTO was previously only exhibited in Miyajima’s native Japan, as well as China. It is the latest addition to MGM Resorts International’s Fine Art Collection.
HOTO, which means “treasure pagoda” in Japanese, is inspired by an episode from the Buddhist scriptures detailing a jewel encrusted tower that issues from the ground and floats in mid-air, symbolizing the value of each and every human life. This humanist sentiment resonated with the artist after the devastating events of September 11, 2001, and prompted him to create this work that would concurrently embody his wish for peace, community, and a sense of mindful interconnectedness across the world.
The 3,827 LEDs come in a variety of sizes and colors, and count down in a descending cycle from nine to one at varying speeds — a fascinating panoply that alludes to the infinite cycles of life and certain universal principles that govern its infinitely subtle operations.
The reflective surfaces of Miyajima’s HOTO also capture the reflections of the viewers, enabling them to position themselves within this dazzling numerical universe. “I’m trying to show that every human being is unique,” Miyajima explained.
HOTO is part of a larger initiative within MGM Resorts to introduce the ingenuity of Japanese art and culture to the global, cosmopolitan clientele of Las Vegas. Other recent projects by MGM include a kabuki play set against the Fountains of Bellagio, featuring Ichikawa Somegoro and Nakamura Yonekichi, and an art installation at Bellagio by Masatoshi Izumi.
Tatsuo Miyajima Unveils “Treasure Pagoda” in Las Vegas. Tatsuo Miyajima, HOTO, 2008, Mixed Media, 3,827 LEDs (6 colors, various sizes), electric wire, stainless steel, iron frame, 216 1/8” H x 81 13/16” W
Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima has unveiled his work “HOTO” for the first time in the U.S. at The Aria Resort & Casino in Las Vegas for an indefinite period. Measuring some 18 feet tall and constructed out of 3,827 LEDs, HOTO was previously only exhibited in Miyajima’s native Japan, as well as China. It is the latest addition to MGM Resorts International’s Fine Art Collection.
HOTO, which means “treasure pagoda” in Japanese, is inspired by an episode from the Buddhist scriptures detailing a jewel encrusted tower that issues from the ground and floats in mid-air, symbolizing the value of each and every human life. This humanist sentiment resonated with the artist after the devastating events of September 11, 2001, and prompted him to create this work that would concurrently embody his wish for peace, community, and a sense of mindful interconnectedness across the world.
The 3,827 LEDs come in a variety of sizes and colors, and count down in a descending cycle from nine to one at varying speeds — a fascinating panoply that alludes to the infinite cycles of life and certain universal principles that govern its infinitely subtle operations.
The reflective surfaces of Miyajima’s HOTO also capture the reflections of the viewers, enabling them to position themselves within this dazzling numerical universe. “I’m trying to show that every human being is unique,” Miyajima explained.
HOTO is part of a larger initiative within MGM Resorts to introduce the ingenuity of Japanese art and culture to the global, cosmopolitan clientele of Las Vegas. Other recent projects by MGM include a kabuki play set against the Fountains of Bellagio, featuring Ichikawa Somegoro and Nakamura Yonekichi, and an art installation at Bellagio by Masatoshi Izumi.