Steve Wynn’s new deal: A fine-art gallery in Florida

Steve Wynn’s next headliner is Roy Lichtenstein.

The former Las Vegas resort magnate is expanding his prominence as an art dealer with Wynn Fine Art gallery in Palm Beach, Florida. Wynn has listed Las Vegas as his fine-art headquarters, but he is not exhibiting any of his pieces at a public space in town.

Wynn’s collection in Florida includes pieces from several famous artists. A half-dozen pieces by master pop artist Lichtenstein, including “Still Life With Head in Landscape,” is among the pieces being exhibited in Palm Beach.

Wynn has tapped his stepson, Nick Hissom, to run the gallery in Palm Beach, about 70 miles north of Miami.

“We’re a very small, boutique space, at 700 square feet, but we pack a punch,” Hissom, the 28-year-old son of Wynn’s wife, Andrea, and her ex-husband, banking executive Robert Hissom, told Artnet News. Other legendary artists to be displayed in rotation include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Mark Rothko, and Francis Bacon.

According to Art News, the space had been restricted to private collectors for about a year, but is now open to the public. Wynn also maintains an office and gallery space in Beverly Hills.

“We were closed because of COVID, and now we’re able to reopen for the holiday season, and Steve thought that the colors and vibrancy of Lichtenstein would be a great way to reopen,” Hissom said.

In a separate text, Hissom said, “We are receiving some great feedback. It’s very exciting to be managing the project for Steve.”

Wynn maintains a residence in Las Vegas, though he listed his mansion at 1717 Enclave Court in Summerlin, near Town Center Drive and Summerlin Parkway, on the market in June for $25 million. The casino visionary is still worth $3 billion, according to Forbes, despite being forced out of the resort company he founded. This month, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has voted to continue its efforts to take disciplinary action against Wynn, who resigned his position and divested in Wynn Resorts in 2018.

Wynn remains a busy art collector and dealer, reportedly paying in excess of $100 million in February for two Picassos from the estate of the late collector Don Marron, “Woman With Beret and Collar” (1937) and the 1962 portrait “Seated Woman (Jaqueline).”

An online gallery Wynn launched in 2018, Sierra Fine Art LLC, now links to Wynn Fine Art. Original reports were Wynn was in “consultation” with art dealer Bill Acquavella, but a Wynn rep said Thursday that Aquavella’s company is not involved in Wynn’s recent gallery activity.

The Florida gallery is the latest professional endeavor between Wynn and his stepson.

Eight years ago, Hissom debuted his original single “Killin’ Tonight” with the EDM dance duo Manufactured Superstars, at a premiere party at Tryst at Wynn Las Vegas (later renamed Intrigue). Hissom followed up with “I’m Not Telling You Who I Am,” again debuting the new single on July 4, 2013, also at Tryst.

Hissom says he will still work on “select projects” in entertainment while he focuses on his gallery work. “Art, music, television, it’s all creativity, just different mediums.”

See Shore

Comic actor and veteran stand-up headliner Pauly Shore is set to return to the stage at 10 p.m. Dec. 18-19 at Delirious Comedy Club at Downtown Grand. A recent Vegas resident, Shore is joined by local favorites Guy Fessenden and Kathleen Dunbar.

Just as Shore opens at Delirious, his latest film, “Guest House” premieres on Netflix on Dec. 18.

Shore has headlined at the Improv in Miami and Wiseguys Comedy Club in Salt Lake City during the pandemic.

“For me, getting onstage anywhere at this point is like a reciprocal thing,” Shore said Thursday. “The audience needs this as much as I need this, to be laughing and getting away from the TV and the bad news. It’s really good for mental health. The way I felt, and the way the audience felt, was extraordinary.”

Rock it

A collection of rock virtuosos are taking over the Robin Leach Theater space at Notoriety at Neonopolis on Friday night. The rock revival features Paul Shortino (Quiet Riot, Rough Cutt), Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen, Ted Nugent, Dokken), Andrew Freeman (Last In Line, Offspring), Blas Elias (Slaughter, Trans Siberian Orchestra), Phil Soussan (Last In Line, Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Idol), Christian Brady (Hellyeah), Rowan Robertson (Dio) and Michael T. Ross (Lita Ford).

A lot of horsepower in that lineup, all of them Vegas artists. There is talk of the show performing again New Year’s Eve, with a live-stream added, and also expanding to a monthly format. At that idea, we shout the name of Brady’s band.

Steak in the game

Dennis Quaid has banked (as it were) an appearance for an upcoming episode of “Pawn Stars” set to air next summer. Quaid, who is also shooting “Reagan,” a biopic about President Ronald Reagan, swept into Circa’s Barry’s Downtown Prime on Dec. 2, along with Gold & Silver Pawn owner and series co-star Rick Harrison, “Reagan” producer Mark Joseph and “Pawn Stars” producer Tracy Whittaker. Circa co-owner Derek Stevens and star chef Barry Dakake met up with the group in the hotel’s signature steakhouse.

Barry’s place has become quite the hang, even during the pandemic, reminding of the days when Dakake held court at N9NE Steakhouse at the Palms. Those were some times, ladies and gents.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.