I must say that typically someone would be exhausted after driving 8 hours from Texas to New Mexico. But I was like a kid on Christmas just waiting to see what gifts were under the tree as we pulled up to Meow Wolf.
It was hard to think that only a few short months ago, I hadn’t even known what Meow Wolf was and now I couldn’t wait to get through the line to see just what all the hype had been about.
Now for those that are a little lost right now and thinking Meow Wolf was simply a typo, let me let you in on one of the best kept secrets to come from Santa Fe.
Meow Wolf, in itself just two odd words to put together, but the strange pairing tells a story in itself about the strangely odd nature of what it stands for. Imagine, Dr. Seuss has a world that springs off the pages of one of his books and meets your typical day to day life. Can you imagine the bright colors, the strange creatures and the intense childhood happiness it brings to your otherwise normal life? Well if you can, you might be ready for a quarter of what Meow Wolf has in store for you.
Meow Wolf, was originally an art collective which came together wanting to express their own forms of creation. With those in the collective displaying such a variety of talents, their crafts quickly grew from a social club of sorts to a now movement sweeping the United States.
With a simple goal came a bigger plan and soon an inspired existence far surpassing their original ambitions. And now a permanent exhibit “The House of Eternal Return” inspires the imaginations of thousands per day and marks Santa Fe’s most popular landmark.
I must say, I love weird and crazy and still I had no idea just how different an experience this would be. I had watched youtube, seen bloggers visit and talk about it and never once could anything I saw or read explain the experience I had when there. It is a person experience you take away, with each person being impacted differently by their own vision of what they are seeing before them. Some of the most unique art installations I have seen, however it was more than art, it was an experience.
The goal of Meow Wolf full realized was more than just hanging art on walls, it was allowing people to walk into the art, to maintain a feeling of discovery and to be a part of the experience. No single journey into the site is the same so each time you visit your take away is differing from the last. It is a site in progress with constant changes like the moving parts of a city.
We stayed for around 4 hours and still felt as though we could have seen more. There are areas to crawl in, to interact with, to press, to touch, to listen, to visually change and to be at peace within. There are colors so bright, rooms so vast and experiences like none I have ever seen. There is a story to follow but also to be a part of as you explore.
Closets turn into secret worlds, a refrigerator allows you to crawl in and see a hidden lab with holograms, a dryer asks you to slide in and experience a new world behind its laundry and a hidden city offers you live performance amidst your browsing. Not a single sense is not utilized when exploring.
I was excited to see the variety of people in attendance from children to the elderly, each taking in the venue in their own way. Not a single walk of life wasn’t represented because unlike many art exhibits this one has no bounds or direct audience.
It reminds me of the Shel Silverstein poem
“Invitation”
If you are a dreamer, come in,
If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,
A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer…
If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
Come In!
Come In!
I feel like this poem best expresses the goal of the collective of over 100 artist which made this exhibit possible. It is for everyone but designed for no one in particular. It is more than art, it is a movement.
Cost: $18 for non-residents adult, $15 resident; children $12 non-resident, $10 resident
Below I have attached a few videos in addition to our youtube video about the experience. Again this by no means completely does the venue justice so it is a must see.
Ted Talk With Meow Wolf
A bit of background on the process of development of the venue, the growth of the collective and the overall feel of what Meow Wolf is exactly!!
The Experience
Meow Wolf feedback direct from the mouths of those who have been to the venue. It's not just us, it is everyone who has been, it is amazing!!!
