David Fay a local Las Vegas artist, has been selected as the first-ever Artist-in-Residence for the hit Discovery Channel TV show “BattleBots.” The world’s premier robot combat competition which has found a new home in Las Vegas has commissioned artist David Fay to create a one-of-a-kind sculpture constructed exclusively using destroyed and otherwise discarded pieces of the more than 65 bots battling in the World Championships from August 23 – September 4, 2021.
Fay is currently gathering materials and building on site, the direction and design of the sculpture will be determined entirely on what inspires him and how the pieces come together. The final piece will be photographed and revealed on September. 5 and will be on display in Las Vegas at a yet-to-be-announced location.
Fay’s artistic style is popular for being whimsical and imaginative which transforms memories and nostalgia into magical creations viewers can touch and relive. He is most widely known for his life-size sculpture titled “On Second Thought” created as a memorial to honor those who tragically passed during the October 1 Route 91 massacre in Las Vegas.
This famous piece was created almost entirely out of parts and ammo from more than 600 decommissioned guns and shaped into the form of the classic sculpture “The Thinker” created by Auguste Rodin. A compilation video of Fay’s other works of art can also be viewed at Pure Imagination by David Fay.
A Way to Heal
For Fay, using art was a way to heal from a past peppered with battling a learning disability and depression stemming from PTSD. It was only through the advice of a doctor and later a grief counselor that he began to really create art on a daily basis. One of the very first galleries showcasing his work was was Jana’s RedRoom in the Arts Factory in Downtown Las Vegas. Gallery owner Jana Lynch allowed Fay to show his work and pushed him to volunteer encouraging him to interact with visitors rather than self-isolating which resulted in him living a more fulfilled life. Art is now a huge part of Fay’s daily life and it’s through art that he looks at life with a whole new perspective.
“My entire life, visiting art galleries and museums were always a quiet experience and always specifically a hands-off experience. Now, the art I create is interactive, auditory and hands-on. I love that people get to touch and step into my world and be a part of the art experience I created for them,” says David Fay, BattleBots Artist-in-Residence.
Tickets to the BattleBots 2021 World Championships filmed at Caesars Entertainment Studios on the Las Vegas Strip are on sale starting at $40. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit BattleBot tickets.
ABOUT BATTLEBOTS
BattleBots is the world leader in robot fighting sports. For more than 20 years, BattleBots has brought the joy of robot fighting to TV and live audiences around the world.
BattleBots remains the most popular robotic combat sport in the world, created by Ed Roski and Greg Munson and now seen in over 150 countries.
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FYI, only the first two photos in the article are mine. I first met David a couple of weeks ago (great guy!) at the BattleBots Season 6 taping, and had nothing to do with photographing the “On Second Thought” sculpture.
Would you like any changes made? Thank you for the photos.
Barbara Keer, Editor-in-Chief
Looks like they’ve already been made. Just trying to give credit where credit is due. Thanks! I had a blast following David for over a week. I wish we could have been co-located until the work was completed.
Oh wow. I can give you photo credit. Write it for me? I’m Dyslexic
Sorry I shared this page on my blog. But I’m happy to add a photo credit there. I had nothing to do with this story.