*This is so entirely Las Vegas and also so severely Da Vinci that I really can't say much about it.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GENIUS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI COMES TO LIFE AT VENETIAN IN LAS VEGAS
Imagine Exhibitions Brings Ultimate Renaissance Man to Las Vegas through “Da Vinci – The Genius”
LAS VEGAS – June 6, 2012 – Beginning June 15, Imagine Exhibitions, Inc. will present Da Vinci – The Genius , the most comprehensive exploration of Leonardo da Vinci’s work ever created, for a limited engagement at The Venetian® in Las Vegas. The interactive experience will immerse guests in da Vinci’s timeless brilliance through full-scale interpretations of the mastermind’s inventions and unparalleled studies of his iconic art.
Da Vinci – The Genius demonstrates the full scope of Leonardo Da Vinci’s remarkable genius as an inventor, artist, anatomist, sculptor, engineer, musician and architect. Guests will enjoy more than 200 unique pieces including 75 life-size machine inventions, three-dimensional renderings of da Vinci’s most notable Renaissance works and an eye-opening, in-depth analysis of his most famous piece, “Mona Lisa.” Visitors will be able to push, pull, crank and interact with many of these exhibits for a hands-on understanding of the scientific principles behind them.
“This exhibition was created by Grande Exhibitions, Australia to celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s great works and place them all together in a single location where people can come and marvel at the brilliance of this great mind. We’re delighted to bring this exceptional project to Las Vegas as our first in the Imagine Exhibitions Gallery,” said Tom Zaller, president of Imagine Exhibitions. “Da Vinci – The Genius offers visitors of all ages and backgrounds an entertaining, educational and enlightening experience, whether they are art and history aficionados or seeing da Vinci’s work for the first time.”
Created with the assistance of Leonardo da Vinci experts in Italy and France, Da Vinci – The Genius celebrates one of the most revered and dynamic minds of all time. The exhibition features 13 compelling themed areas of da Vinci’s work, offering visitors an unmatched look inside the mind of the man who laid the groundwork for some of modern society’s most impactful inventions, such as the helicopter, airplane, automobile, submarine, parachute and bicycle.
All of the inventions brought to life for Da Vinci – The Genius were crafted by Italian Artisans, many using the same techniques and materials from the Renaissance period. Scouring more than 6,000 pages from da Vinci’s personal codices (notebooks), the Artisans deciphered hidden clues, intentional mistakes and mirror-image writing that da Vinci employed to keep his works top secret.
The most illustrious component of Da Vinci – The Genius is arguably the Secrets of Mona Lisa exhibit, featuring the findings of French scientific engineer and examiner of fine art, Pascal Cotte. Granted unprecedented access to “Mona Lisa” by the French government and the Louvre Museum, Cotte was permitted to take “Mona Lisa” off the wall and out of its frame to conduct a scientific analysis that revealed dozens of secrets about history’s most elusive art piece, all verified and approved by the Louvre Museum curators over a two-year period. The exhibit showcases Cotte’s studies and 25 of his most compelling revelations, illustrated by 40 super-magnified, high-resolution sectional images exploring every aspect of the work.
“Da Vinci – The Genius is the most complete and comprehensive da Vinci exhibition on the planet,” said John Caparella, president of The Venetian. “It’s a perfect complement to The Venetian’s summer-long Carnevale festival, and the emerging arts community in Las Vegas.”
Visitors of Da Vinci – The Genius are invited to embrace the history, theory and objective behind each of da Vinci’s designs and artworks through engaging and entertaining technologies. Other highlights include reproductions of “Virgin of the Rocks,” “The Annunciation,” the controversial new Leonardo discovery “Bella Principessa,” amazing anatomical sketches, the preparatory drawings of the “Anghiari Battle,” and three-dimensional interactive presentations of “The Last Supper,” the “Vitruvian Man,” and the “Sforza Horse” sculpture that offer never-before-seen perspectives on these famous works. Guests also will enjoy a glimpse into da Vinci’s mysterious alphabet and writing techniques as they browse touch-screen versions of his actual codices.
The exhibition was developed by Grande Exhibitions, Australia, the Anthropos Association, Italy, under the kind auspices of the Commune di Roma, Commune di Firenze and Citta Di Venezia and with the assistance of Pascal Cotte of Lumière Technologies, France.
Doors open to the public Friday, June 15. Tickets for Da Vinci – The Genius will be available for purchase at The Venetian box office and venetian.com. Prices are as follows: adult ($25), senior/military ($23), Nevada residents ($20), children 12 and under ($18). Da Vinci – The Genius will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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ABOUT IMAGINE EXHIBITIONS
Imagine Exhibitions is the global resource for all things related to exhibitions. From design to creation, placement to presentation, marketing and operations, Imagine has the experience and inspiration to bring the best possible exhibition to any venue. Imagine is currently producing Genghis Khan, the Exhibition, The Great Wall of China, Chinasaurs, Bigger than T. Rex, Giant Mysterious Dinosaurs and Dinosaurs in Motion . Da Vinci – The Genius is the first of many exhibitions that Imagine Exhibitions will showcase at The Venetian®. In the last year, Imagine has worked in cooperation with the Andy Warhol Museum, Dali Universe, Georgia Aquarium, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and the Mob Attraction in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.imagineexhibitions.com.
ABOUT GRANDE EXHIBITIONS
Creators and promoters of Da Vinci – The Genius who have researched, sourced and interpreted much of what is contained in the exhibition. Based in Rome, Italy and Melbourne, Australia, Grande Exhibitions is dedicated to delivering high-quality exhibitions of mass appeal that entertain and educate audiences globally. Together with the Anthropos Association, they own and operate a series of private museums in the Italian cities of Rome, Venice, Florence and Assisi.
ABOUT THE ANTHROPOS ASSOCIATION
From Il Genio de Leonardo Da Vinci Museo in Rome, talented and gifted Artisans have made the machine inventions and many items that you see on display at Da Vinci – The Genius. They have spent more than 10 years bringing to life more than 120 of da Vinci’s concepts and designs and use the main techniques and materials available in 15th Century Italy.
ABOUT THE VENETIAN RESORT-HOTEL-CASINO®
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, the largest property in the country to receive AAA’s Five Diamond and the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Four Star awards, is one of the world’s most luxurious resort and convention destinations. Recreating Venice’s legendary landmarks, the LEED® EB Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified resort offers unmatched service and quality for leisure and corporate guests. With suites ranging from a standard 650-square-foot Luxury Suite to the luxurious 10,000-square-foot Chairman Suite, the all-suite resort boasts more than 4,000 of Las Vegas’ most lavish suite accommodations. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian features The Grand Canal Shoppes®, an indoor streetscape complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub®, world-class gaming, exquisite restaurants, a wide variety of entertainment such as “Phantom-The Las Vegas Spectacular,” “Blue Man Group,” showroom headliners including David Spade, Rita Rudner, Tim Allen and Joan Rivers and extensive convention and corporate services. Guests can earn points while they eat, sleep, shop and play with Grazie, the premier loyalty program, which rewards guests with the ease and usability of just one card and one program. The Venetian and its sister resort, The Palazzo Las Vegas, are the first ever Alliance Resorts in the InterContinental Hotel Group® global portfolio. The Venetian will celebrate the magic and fantasy of Carnevale this summer by hosting three months of classic Italian festivities, including new experiences, entertainment, art, music and wine through Sept. 9. For additional information, visit venetian.com, follow on Twitter @venetianvegas and interact on Facebook at facebook.com/venetianlasvegas.
Media Contacts
Natalie Mounier / Rachel Feinberg / Kara Rutkin
Kirvin Doak Communications
