{"id":346982,"date":"2025-08-19T11:33:29","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T16:33:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/19\/venetian-boots-love-photo-op-for-the-wizard-of-oz-ad\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T11:33:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T16:33:29","slug":"venetian-boots-love-photo-op-for-the-wizard-of-oz-ad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michigandigitalnews.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/19\/venetian-boots-love-photo-op-for-the-wizard-of-oz-ad\/","title":{"rendered":"Venetian Boots “Love” Photo Op for “The Wizard of Oz” Ad"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n By Scott Roeben<\/a>, on August 16 2025 <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In a visual metaphor for the ages, Venetian has removed its iconic \u201cLove\u201d photo op and replaced it with an ad for \u201cThe Wizard of Oz,\u201d already causing a stir at Sphere.<\/p>\n

As if there weren\u2019t already a shortage of love in Las Vegas. Cirque\u2019s Beatles-themed \u201cLove\u201d show closed at Mirage in July 2024.<\/p>\n

Venetian says the \u201cLove\u201d artwork will be back, but that sort of ruins the narrative \u201ceverything is ruined,\u201d so we\u2019re just going to harp on the lame part of the story if that\u2019s cool with you.<\/p>\n

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Whoever said \u201cAll you need is love\u201d never tried chicken parm.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The \u201cLove\u201d statue was located in the Venetian\u2019s (or possibly Palazzo\u2019s) gloriously Grammable Waterfall Atrium. It\u2019s been there since 2016.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve never been to Venetian when there weren\u2019t tourists posing with the \u201cLove\u201d statue. It\u2019s sort of interactive, because you can get inside the letters without security shouting at you.<\/p>\n

The letters in \u201cLove\u201d are perforated with bird-shaped stamps.<\/p>\n

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We took this photo in 2016 in the hopes we could use it some day. This is that day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The piece is 12 feet tall and 36 feet across, and is sort of a rip-off of the famous \u201cLove\u201d sculpture (also very red) by Robert Indiana<\/a> that\u2019s been around since the early 1960s.<\/p>\n

The \u201cLove\u201d sculpture is by famed artist Laura Kimpton<\/a>, who we didn\u2019t know existed until writing this sentence. The piece is part of Kimpton\u2019s Monumental Word Series. Other words in the series include bigass metal \u201cBelieve,\u201d \u201cDream\u201d and \u201cEgo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lots of Vegas tie-ins! Criss Angel \u201cBelieve\u201d closed April 17, 2016. Construction of the Dream hotel in Las Vegas was halted in 2023 due to a lack of funding. \u201cEgo\u201d? See also Criss Angel.<\/p>\n

Sounds like an urban myth in the making. Like the one about Garth Brooks being a serial killer<\/a>, further confirmation America is currently experiencing peak stupid.<\/p>\n

The removal of the artwork was first shared by Chris Holmes<\/a> on Twitter.<\/p>\n

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WTF, no. https:\/\/t.co\/uf07jbb1DW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Before the \u201cLove\u201d art found a home at Venetian\/Palazzo, it was installed at the Life is Beautiful music festival in downtown Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

The artist says of the work, \u201c\u2018Love\u2019 is about being free to love who you want, the way you want. The bird stamps in the letters represent being able to follow your dreams, which is the message that I hope will inspire people as they interact with the piece. Las Vegas is the city where people pursue their dreams, and this sculpture will act as a touchstone for this pursuit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a look at what replaced it.<\/p>\n

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Venetian moved its Love statue for an ad promoting a 90-year-old movie, now in IMAX. Cue the sad trombone. https:\/\/t.co\/fZHKTcLrqT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) August 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Sphere\u2019s controversial take on \u201cThe Wizard of Oz\u201d debuts on August 28, 2025. The $80 million remake (which you heard about in this blog first, of course) has whipped up a controversy<\/a> because it takes liberties with the sacrosanct source material.<\/p>\n

Die hard fans of \u201cOz\u201d have called Sphere\u2019s update \u201cvandalism,\u201d despite never having, you know, actually seen it.<\/p>\n

Sphere officials say 120,000 tickets have been sold to the refreshed 90-year-old movie.<\/p>\n

Shortly after the removal of the \u201cLove\u201d statue, Rio chimed in on Twitter saying it would host the statue temporarily. We naturally suggested they should create their own artwork, something a little more Vegas-appropriate.<\/p>\n

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This part of Rio could use a little help. You\u2019re welcome, Rio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re feeling all out of love, maybe get your photo op with this thing touting Grand Canal Shoppes.<\/p>\n

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See, it\u2019s love, but it\u2019s in Italian (Venice is located in Italy) and it\u2019s an ad for a mall. Vegas gonna Vegas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Or better yet, get your selfie with another massive \u201cLove\u201d in the Linq Promenade at the I Love Sugar store.<\/p>\n

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If you look for it\u2026you\u2019ll find that love actually is all around. Who knew \u201cLove Actually\u201d was actually about Las Vegas?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re feeling all out of love, never fear.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a Bob Marley thing<\/a> at Mandalay Bay now, and he was all about love.<\/p>\n

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