Entry No. 34 — the Las Vegas file — filed under: giant-sculpture
Bliss Dance
A 40-foot nude woman built from welded steel rod and LED-lit stainless mesh skin — first built for Burning Man in 2010, then displayed on San Francisco's Treasure Island for years — now stands permanently at the Strip's pedestrian entrance to T-Mobile Arena, the first piece in sculptor Marco Cochrane's ongoing "Bliss Project" trilogy about feminine power.
The story
You are walking between the faux-brick skyline of New York-New York and the understated green facade of Park MGM, dodging crowds heading toward T-Mobile Arena, when you look up and realize you are standing in the shadow of a 40-foot nude woman frozen in mid-dance. That is *Bliss Dance*, created by sculptor Marco Cochrane. It did not originate in a casino design boardroom or a corporate art initiative; it debuted in the dust of Black Rock City at Burning Man in 2010 before taking up residence on San Francisco's Treasure Island for several years.
Look closely at the engineering before you move on. Cochrane built the monumental figure out of a complex structural frame of welded steel rods, draped in a delicate skin of stainless steel mesh. She is the first installation in his "Bliss Project" trilogy—a series designed to focus on feminine power, safety, and self-expression. In a city where representations of women are overwhelmingly commercialized, finding a giant, uninhibited expression of joy standing permanently in the middle of a pedestrian corridor feels surprisingly radical.
What it's like
Because she stands right in the open-air plaza of The Park, seeing her costs nothing and requires no line or ticket. During daylight hours, you can walk directly under the base to see how the stainless mesh skin interacts with the desert sun, but the real show starts after dark when internal LEDs light her up from within. The plaza gets slammed with crowds right before showtime or puck drop at T-Mobile Arena, so if you want a quiet moment to admire the steelwork without dodging hockey fans, detour off the casino floor on a late weeknight or after the stadium crowds clear out.
The move: Catch her lit up after dark on the walk into a T-Mobile Arena show, or detour off the casino floor for a quiet look before dinner at one of The Park's restaurants.
- 📍 The Park / Las Vegas Strip
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: The Park, 3770 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (between Park MGM and New York-New York, at the T-Mobile Arena entrance)
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Big Edge (boat sculpture at Vdara) — Continue your tour of massive metal art installations by walking less than half a mile north to see Nancy Rubins' cluster of 200 real canoes and kayaks suspended over the Vdara valet.
- Sahra Spa + Hammam (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas) — Trade the open-air steel mesh and plaza heat for a soak inside an authentic Turkish hammam just a short walk up the Strip inside The Cosmopolitan.
- REAL BODIES at Horseshoe Las Vegas — Pair Marco Cochrane's monumental steel human frame with a look at actual preserved human anatomy less than a mile down the boulevard at Horseshoe.
- Pinball Hall of Fame — Head south down the Strip to swap outdoor fine art for a noisy, neon-lit warehouse packed with 700 fully playable vintage pinball machines.
Good to know
How much does it cost to see Bliss Dance?
It is completely free to view 24/7 since it sits in a open public pedestrian walkway.
Where exactly is the sculpture located on the Strip?
She stands in The Park outdoor plaza between Park MGM and New York-New York, right at the main pedestrian entrance leading to T-Mobile Arena.
What is Bliss Dance made of?
The 40-foot sculpture features a welded steel rod internal framework, a skin made of stainless steel mesh, and internal color-changing LEDs for night lighting.
What is the history behind the sculpture?
Designed by Marco Cochrane as the first piece in his 'Bliss Project' trilogy, she debuted at Burning Man in 2010, spent years on San Francisco's Treasure Island, and was permanently installed on the Las Vegas Strip in 2016.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · marcocochrane.com · investors.mgmresorts.com
last checked: 2026-07-20