Seattle-based digital artist and color virtuoso Abigail Dougherty, known in the art world as Neon Saltwater, recently unveiled her latest installation in Downtown Las Vegas, an eye-popping spectacle you can appreciate in the images here. Located on bustling East Fremont Street, the “Cherry Lake” project transforms a once-abandoned garage into a vibrant, chromatic fantasy. Curated by the innovative group Justkids, this installation signifies a notable shift from Dougherty’s well-known digital realms to a tangible, immersive experience.

Neon Saltwater, celebrated for her ethereal digital landscapes featuring neon-drenched rooms and malls, has translated her unique aesthetic into the physical world. The installation, infused with a futuristic flair and a touch of Y2K nostalgia, offers a multi-era experience. It envelopes the entire building in a kaleidoscopic gradient, accentuated by large digital renderings and neon lights, reminiscent of the slick, optimistic urbanism found on album covers in the stylized 70s and 80s. Inside, visitors are immersed in a dream-like space where silhouettes of floating balloons glow under a haunting red light, creating an atmosphere filled with mystery and longing.

“The familiar structure of Cherry Lake is sharply contrasted by intense colors, lighting, and candy-like text, reflecting the excess and fantasy that form my vision of Las Vegas,” Dougherty explains.

This extensive installation, a standout feature of the recent Life is Beautiful Festival, pays homage to the dual nature of Las Vegas – its allure and its disappointments. Justkids’ Curator and Director Charlotte Dutoit comments, “Neon Saltwater’s creation captures the fabulous and the eerie, the futuristic and the nostalgic. Abby’s world blurs the lines between time and reality, taking viewers on an emotional journey through a beautifully hazy, melancholic, and peculiar landscape.”

Discussing her creative process, Dougherty likens her approach to that of a realist painter or photographer, creating images from scratch to depict non-existent spaces. “I intertwine neon light and color with mundane architectural elements, crafting a surreal yet believable environment,” she remarks. Reflecting on the inspiration behind “Cherry Lake,” she muses on the paradoxical nature of Las Vegas, a city teeming with high hopes and letdowns – recurrent themes in her work. The installation presents an ironic take on the city’s iconic imagery, set against the backdrop of a quaint small-town gas station.

Is “Cherry Lake” a sensory expedition into the heart of urban fantasy? It also depicts emotional contrasts, offering a unique lens through which to view the complexities of the urban landscape.

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