Dream Machine
by Wayne Littlejohn
Siegfried & Roy Park, 5525 S Maryland Pkwy Las Vegas, NV 89119
Twenty-six-foot-tall, spiraling "Dream Machine" has been assembled near McCarran International Airport.

The sculptural is the creation of local artist Wayne Littlejohn, who was selected in July 2015 by a panel of five citizens from among 33 applicants who responded to a call to artists to create the work for Siegfried & Roy Park, located near the cross streets of Russell Road and Maryland Parkway at 5590 Wilbur St.

"This is a captivating work of art," said County Commissioner Mary Beth Scow, who represents the area where it is located. "We believe it is one of the most important pieces of public art in Las Vegas in years. It's the kind of work that generates buzz, given its high-profile prominence along a busy thoroughfare. A lot of tourists coming from the airport are going to drive by and see that we're a real community that appreciates public art. And I believe it'll become a source of pride to locals. It's very exciting." About 30,000 vehicles per day pass by the park.

"It is a fusion of light and movement," Littlejohn said of his work, "and is inspired by the geological and technological forces that shape the Southwest. It arises from the earth like some mysterious atomic love child of dust devils and drones."

Illusionists Siegfried & Roy Horn are highly supportive of the work, saying in a statement, "We have always had a `larger than life' vision - whether for our show or our dreams -- and now it is beautifully represented in this stunning piece of art. We are proud to have it in our park and glad to share it with everybody, especially the people of Las Vegas. We hope it will become the most desired new `photo op' in town. To us, it represents a new dimension of passion - it will be the symbol of our new year - happy, but aloof - floating like a feather. Can you just imagine what this will look like at sundown? One of the wonders of the world - Magic and Hallucination at the same time."

The sculpture is funded by the Clark County percent for the arts program. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) was released in 2014 and a review panel selected Littlejohn's proposal, which references Las Vegas's atomic history and probes the mathematic, historical and aesthetic appeal of the spiral. The artwork has been in development for two years, from structural engineering to carving to casting.
 
(702) 455-8685, CCPublicArt@ClarkCountyNV.gov
Supervisor: Mickey Sprott