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Local artists featured on trippy Las Vegas billboards

Ten new billboards in the Las Vegas Valley are not trying to sell you anything.

Rather, they’re aiming to get you to think.

The public art project powered by Meow Wolf Las Vegas and SaveArtSpace is displaying original art by ten Nevada-based artists who created works related to the theme of “Pathways and Portals.”

In 2015, Travis Rix, a co-founder of SaveArtSpace, was inspired to protect public art when he observed the murals in his neighborhood of Bushwick, New York were being covered up by advertisements.

“We were like, ‘this is where art is, this is what people are here for,” says Rix. “Then the ads showed up.”

Since starting the non-profit, SaveArtSpace has put up 600 to 700 billboards with local art in more than 30 cities.

“I hope people will drive around and be like ‘oh, there’s art!” says Rix. “If they say ‘what is this,’ that’s good enough for me. They’re already questioning and opening their minds. That’s my goal with SaveArtSpace.”

Participating artists include Sameer Asnani, whose billboard features a bold image of a canyon, Q’Shaundra James, who created two dreamy portraits, Gem Jaxx, who depicted UFOs and Joshua S. Levin, who created a meticulously detailed lifeboat.

“Knowing that billboards are seen by so many people, it’s a great way to showcase my art and the message behind it,” says Joseph Watson, who digitally illustrated a bicycle that conceals the word “life” within the frame.

His “Cycle of Life” bicycle bears two flat tires as it proceeds uphill, which Watson hopes passersby will interpret as motivation to continue the ride, even when the journey is a struggle.

The ten billboards can be found here:

Billboard by Nancy Good (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3355 Spring Mountain Rd
Billboard by Nancy Good (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3355 Spring Mountain Rd

Billboard by Brian Henry (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 2784 S Las Vegas Blvd
Billboard by Brian Henry (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 2784 S Las Vegas Blvd

Billboard by Sameer Asnani (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3641 W Sahara Ave
Billboard by Sameer Asnani (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3641 W Sahara Ave

Billboard by Ruby Barrientos (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3890 W Tropicana Ave
Billboard by Ruby Barrientos (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3890 W Tropicana Ave

Billboard by Changoart (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3305 S Decatur Blvd
Billboard by Changoart (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3305 S Decatur Blvd

Billboard by Joshua S. Levin (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 1920 E Sahara Ave
Billboard by Joshua S. Levin (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 1920 E Sahara Ave

Billboard by Cristina Natsuko Paulos (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 260 S Decatur Blvd
Billboard by Cristina Natsuko Paulos (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 260 S Decatur Blvd

Billboard by Q’Shaundra James (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3152 S Highland Dr
Billboard by Q’Shaundra James (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 3152 S Highland Dr

Billboard by Joseph Watson (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 4360 S Decatur Blvd
Billboard by Joseph Watson (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 4360 S Decatur Blvd

Billboard by Gem Jaxx (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 6593 S Las Vegas Blvd
Billboard by Gem Jaxx (Christopher DeVargas for Meow Wolf) 6593 S Las Vegas Blvd

Contact Janna Karel at jkarel@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jannainprogress on Twitter.

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