The intersection of art and nightlife is where you’ll find Alec Monopoly.
The well-known street artist is bringing his signature pop-infused aesthetic from gallery walls to the Las Vegas Strip with his first-ever Wynn Nightlife residency at XS Nightclub.
Alec, who has a global following that includes high-profile collectors and celebrities, has moved into nightlife in a natural crossover between the worlds of contemporary art and luxury entertainment. At XS Nightclub on May 14, Alec will be Diplo’s special guest for an immersive experience that blends live art, music, and a high-energy atmosphere.
Alec Monopoly sat down with The Blast to share a little about what fans can expect from his upcoming Vegas dates, how he got started in the art world, and more.
Alec Monopoly Started Painting As A Young Child
Alec has been painting pretty much his entire life. He knew early on that this was his destiny.
“My mom’s an artist, so she taught me to draw and paint when I was very young,” Alec told The Blast exclusively. “I knew my whole life, you know, my teachers would tell my parents how gifted I was. And it was just something that was known. I was always in the advanced art classes and I just knew I was going to focus on my art my whole life.”
He started gaining notoriety through his Monopoly man paintings in the streets of New York City. It progressed and developed over the years, and he then got into music and DJing.
Signing On For His First-Ever Vegas Residency
Alec has a global reputation as a street artist, so why did he decide to take his DJ career to Vegas for a residency?
“It made sense because my gallery Eden is right across from XS,” he shared. “I’ve had a relationship with XS for a number of years. I had a collaboration where I would do paintings of the DJs while they’d be live DJing. I did portraits of Avicii, David Guetta, Diplo, Skrillex. So I had a relationship with Wynn for a while through the gallery and spending time at the club.”
Alec said that he was excited to get a residency at XS because he always has “so much fun” when he’s there. He said his first show was “amazing.”
“It was so packed. They said it was one of the most packed Sundays they’ve had,” he told The Blast. “It was my first big show in Vegas and it’s a dream to play at The Wynn. I think it’s one of the most high-end places and XS is number one, so I’m very happy with it.”
Alec Monopoly’s Next XS Show Is During EDC Week
Alec’s next show in Vegas is during a time where the city will be filled with music fans attending EDC (Electric Daisy Carnival), which is one of the biggest music festivals in the world.
“Everybody’s in town. It’s a crowd of people that really appreciate music, you know, they’re there for the music,” Alec told The Blast. “I think we’re going to be doing something at the gallery, as well. So I think it’s really cool that we can focus on DJing and we can focus on the art at the same time. It’s like two birds, one stone.”
Because the audience during EDC week is more “focused on the music” and are “really there for the music,” Alec is approaching this event slightly different than the last one.
“It’s not just hotel guests there, so I am going to be playing a lot of my original music, some unreleased stuff,” he said. “A little more underground style, because I’ve been playing in Mykonos and Ibiza for years now before this Vegas residency, and there, it’s a little more underground style of music.”
Alec Monopoly Sees Art And Nightlife As One Space Creatively
Working across both art and music, Alec views them not as separate worlds, but as a single, unified creative space.
“I see them as one space creatively. At a lot of my shows, I do live paintings while I am DJing,” he said. “So, I’ll be creating a canvas while I am there, but the street art side of it goes hand-in-hand with DJing because I’m getting to travel the world and go to these new cities and do graffiti pieces and street art pieces in cities that I normally wouldn’t visit. So I think that’s like one of the best parts of it all.”
Many of Alec’s pieces represent a Vegas lifestyle, so DJing in Sin City was just something he knew would one day happen.
“I’ve been incorporating this in my art for years,” he said. “So now it’s finally come that I can actually DJ there and I think it’s amazing.”
More About Alec Monopoly And His Vegas Residency
Alec is a New York native, internationally recognized for his bold, pop-infused style of street art and recurring use of the Monopoly Man as a symbol of power and wealth. His art has expanded into galleries and luxury brand collections, as he’s carved out a distinct space for his style of art. He’s currently touring as a DJ while bringing his art with him to add something unique to his shows.
To keep up with Alec Monopoly and where he will be next, visit his website. To learn more about Eden Gallery, visit the website. You can also follow Alec on Instagram. For more information on Alec’s upcoming Vegas residency, visit XS Nightclub’s website.