Memorabilia is served: Artist pays homage to city with collaged plates

Cat Baird

Just one of the memorabilia plates Santiago designed.

By Mark Adams

Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 | 6:26 p.m.

The word “souvenir” originated from the French term with the same spelling, meaning “to remember.” And with tourist traps peddling kitschy knickknacks lining the Boulevard, it’s safe to say a good portion of the globe remembers our city in a not-so-swanky way. Enter designer Valentino Santiago.

A Philadelphia native, Santiago made his way out west to begin his artistic career working on Madonna’s “Vogue” video. He settled in Vegas in 1996 and has spent the past 13 years at the legendary Diplomat apartments. The artist’s latest project is a collection of ceramic plates, each collaged with text and images that pay homage to our City of Lights. Forget about mass-produced shot glasses—these plates are one of a kind. “I wanted to give them something that gave them the totality of Vegas. The tourists are important to our economy, they keep us going. I felt that I was giving them something unique,” Santiago says.

So why not take an actual piece of the city with you? They’re handcrafted and exclusive, so you won’t find a “Made in China” sticker on these souvenirs.