Bob Dylan is a man of many talents… including, apparently, casino sculptures.
The musician has created a 26-by-15 foot iron gateway for the MGM National Harbor in the DC suburbs, Rolling Stone reports.
Dylan has apparently enjoyed welding since at least the 1970s; his current projects incorporate found objects, including everything from old farm equipment to tools to guns. “I’ve been around iron all my life ever since I was a kid. I was born and raised in iron ore country — where you could breathe it and smell it every day. And I’ve always worked with it in one form or another,” he wrote on the occasion of his first exhibition of iron sculptures in 2013. “Gates appeal to me because of the negative space they allow. They can be closed but at the same time they allow the seasons and breezes to enter and flow. They can shut you out or shut you in. And in some ways there is no difference.”
But what’s the connection between Dylan and casinos? Jim Murren, the CEO of MGM International, tried to make the connection between the two: “As a company founded upon entertainment, we’re truly inspired by artists who channel their energy into diverse paths. We’re proud to collaborate with Mr. Dylan and bring his vision to MGM National Harbor’s Heritage Collection in a way that enhances this sensory resort experience.”
Or he could’ve just said: Bob Dylan is cool and weird; we have money; and we wanted to get a piece of whatever he’s up to now.
The sculpture will be on public display at the casino, which is slated to open by the end of the year–after many delays and cost overruns of more than $1 billion.
