neon saltwater transforms 1930s las vegas gas station into retro landscape of glowing lights

NEON SALTWATER IN DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS

At the invitation of global creative firm Justkids, Seattle-based digital artist and designer Neon Saltwater visited downtown Las Vegas to breathe new life into a 1930s gas station for the 2022 Life is Beautiful Music Festival. The old building was transformed into a retro landscape of bright, fluorescent neon lights and dreamy colors. The artist, usually known for her on-screen renderings of spaces, has now created a non-virtual 3D dreamscape called Mystery Cruise 1990. The result sees an immersive environment that combines the digital and physical realms.

neon lights and dreamy colors transform the old gas station | all images courtesy of Justkids

resonating with Gen Z

The colorful, fictional world of Neon Saltwater conveys feelings of euphoria and nostalgia, which play an important role in all her works. In this way, she resonates with the digitally raised Gen Z and their love of the ’90s, as well as the resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic.

‘This installation was an opportunity for me to adapt to a building in Vegas that is abandoned and has existed as many things. The shape of the building already sort of looked like something I would create in 3D, so it was perfect. It reminded me of a convenience store and I wanted to make it into something that looked like ecstasy, using color and light… There are haunting elements to it such as my hand-designed font that is inspired by teenage horror novels from the ’80s and ’90s, and the plants inside the glowing room. You may want answers to what and why, but you won’t find out and that is another feeling that many people get from my work.’ shares Neon Saltwater (find more here).

‘In an era where many artists go from the physical to the digital space, we thought it would be interesting to actually export Neon Saltwater’s cyber wonders into a non-virtual art experience, not just on a screen, but in a tangible public art form. Physically manifesting Mystery Cruise 1990, an exclusive digital rendering space with dreamy colors, neon lights, and spooky ‘90s vibes into an immersive piece outside of a social media platform, is almost like a paranormal experience and so satisfying for the Neon Saltwater’s fans like myself’ says Charlotte Dutoit, Curator and Director of Justkids (find more here).

the colorful dreamscape of Neon Saltwater conveys feelings of euphoria and nostalgia