Michael K. Stark Transforms Money Obsession into Striking Art
Stark aims for his art exhibitions to be on display in Las Vegas casinos, hotels and eventually become an immersive experience.
Money talks to everyone, but not the way it talks to artist Michael K. Stark.
Los Angeles-born artist Michael K. Stark creates art only when he has something to say. That is why he took a 25-year hiatus from creating. Although he attained success in the L.A. art scene during the nineties, which included his artwork showing in 35 art exhibitions during that time period, it wasn’t enough to keep his interest. Instead, he switched his focus to real estate as the creator within him grew dormant. That is, until 2021.
That's when his family and friends—who encouraged him to start creating again — led him to illustrate a $100 bill. The California native had found a new muse, an outlet to express one of his obsessions: money.
“An artist has to do something they're obsessed with. And I guess my obsession has been money, I will freely admit that.”
Michael K. Stark
The sketch sparked something inside him, motivating him to speak through his craft again. Since then, Stark has conceived over 300 artworks as part of his ever-growing art exhibition, "Wall of $100s." His striking banknote collection even features lottery tickets and flags, expanding into other symbols of wealth and good fortune.
The “Wall of $100s” artist’s exhibitions have appeared throughout the Las Vegas valley, from Art Houz to Taverna Costera to The Triple Crown Cigar Bar. Of all the cities he could have chosen, Vegas embodies the abundance of luxury, opportunity, and prosperity that come along with affluency. But Stark’s love of Sin City runs deeper than the glitzy resorts and high-end restaurants —that isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate those aspects, too.
“Whether you're a comedian, an artist, or a musician, all the people that helped create the spectacle, that's Las Vegas.”
Micheal K. Stark
"I’m just grateful for Las Vegas. It is unlike any town in post-COVID America. For creative people, I think this is where you want to be. Whether you're a comedian, an artist, or a musician, all the people that helped create the spectacle, that's Las Vegas," says Stark. "This is the ‘new’ Greenwich Village. This is the place."
Greenwich Village is a nod to the 1960s counterculture movement that took place in an artsy New York neighborhood, which is known for putting American Bohemian culture on the map in the early and mid-20th century.
Not to mention that unlike other art scenes in other towns, Vegas is a young city. It is where people come for second chances. It is where people fall in love and where they fall apart. Everyone here is always searching for the next big thing. Rather than relying on traditions, Vegas is constantly reinventing itself and what it means to be the Entertainment Capital of the World.
"I think in every generation, there's been a town in the world that attracts actors and artists," says Stark. "If you're a creative person and you want to make a go of it, fly out here. It doesn't cost too much to stay and pound the pavement. It worked for me."
Stark’s standout exhibition has circulated throughout Vegas, adorning several downtown venues and gaining traction from online art enthusiasts. What does he aim to manifest now that his art has found homes across the valley? Aside from opening exhibits in casinos and hotels, one of his current goals, there’s another art concept in the works.
"I'd love to do a chapel; you could call it ‘Money House,’” explains Stark. “It’d be on the Strip, Fremont or nearby, where people could come, look, immerse, and meditate on manifesting greater abundance and luck into their lives.”
Between the nineties and now, Stark’s life experiences have taken him down many unexpected avenues. He is married, he is a father, and he’s a businessman regularly traveling back and forth between California and Nevada. Every artist evolves as they are shaped by their life experiences, obsessions, and lessons. What would Stark share with a younger version of himself now?
"Be more attuned to whatever karma is pushing you forward. If you're doing your best and you're pursuing where you want to be, you're going to get there."
Michael K. Stark’s art exhibitions are currently located inside the Art Houz, Triple Crown Cigar Lounge, Vintage Vegas, and Horse Trailer Hideout. Visit his website, neobsart.com, to learn more.