Mike Burke
No Vacancy
Feb. 23, 2021 – Mar. 20, 2021

Reno-based artist Mike Burke’s exhibition No Vacancy includes miniature replicas of iconic neon signs including the Reno arch (old and new), midcentury motels, and the Mapes cowboys. The works are all handmade in metal, and treated with a patina to reflect how the actual signs looked when photographed by the artist. For Mike and other Reno natives, the motel signs are part of our local heritage. And as the signs quickly disappear due to growth and development, the community collectively feels a sense of loss and despair, especially when we consider how the motels provided much-needed housing for Reno residents, many of which are now currently unhoused. A portion of the proceeds from all No Vacancy art sales will go directly to mutual aid groups serving houseless neighbors.

READ: NO VACANCY: MIKE BURKE’S MOST RECENT PROJECT