Han Marie Santana-Sayles

love my job 🥲 I curated a handful of these and visited the rest this year~ Research is a big part of the gig so i’m always sleuthing for new artists and generally try to stay up to date with what’s going on 🕵🏻‍♀️ This year was particularly packed for us with opening @meowwolfgrapevine +Plus I curated (and we collectively built) @mystery__school ’s show in the fall. Feeling like I’m coming out of a fog these days, clarity is gradually rolling in as I gain more energy 🕊️ Here’s all the details from the video in case you wana find the artists (hope you do) 🩵 @squid.licker ‘Ancestral Crypt’ at @meowwolfsantafe curated by me and Meow Wolf Creative Directors @pipnpop at @coreyhelfordgallery gallery curated by Caro Buermann ‘Glitzy Snurtle’ led by @enochispa on C-Street @convergencestation (full artist credits.meowwolf.com) @brettdouglashunter ‘Grief Truck’ at @franconiamn @max_hooper_schneider ‘Falling Angels’ at @francoisghebaly Paul Chan’s ‘Y.oung P.ublisher 99cenr & up (2)’ @walkerartcenter @mariellguzman ’s ‘Technicolored party inside my head, but everyone’s invited’ at @meowwolfgrapevine curated by me and MW creative directors @sarahszestudio ‘Timelapse’ at @guggenheim organized by Kyung Ann ‘Davey’ led by @gbanzhof and mural by @pocapastalipstick for Matt King’s Becoming Light, curated by me, produced by @moshmoshjosh at @container_turnercarroll @nicholasgalanin ’s ‘Interference Patterns’ at @sitesantafe curated by Brandee Caoba @veteranas_and_rucas ‘Made in LA 2023: Acts of Living” at @hammer_museum @teamlab ’s ‘Massless Clouds Between Sculpture and Life’ at @superblue.art #installationart #contemporaryart #art #immersive #curator #2023 #art

First peek at some H-Town artists for Meow Wolf Houston! 💯👀 ✨ Last month we announced 40 incredible Texas-based collaborators for our exhibition that opens later this year. Link in bio for the whole list & read below for more about this first batch we’re highlighting + follow their pages if you don’t already! We’re going to keep featuring them in groupings like this so stayed tuned for the next, equally talented, series of artists we’ll share from this cohort. These are all photos of their past work, you’ll have to come to Meow wolf Houston when we open to see what unique pieces they are cooking up for us! More info about each inspiring artist below: Adela Andea (@andeaadela ) is know for her innovative light installations, Andea constructs futuristic forms and environments with her medium, combining technical materials with organic motifs. Trenton Doyle Hancock (@trenton_doyle_hancock ), Hancock tells the story of the Mounds (gentle hybrid plant-like creatures). These narratives explore good and evil, authority, race, moral relativism, and religion, all while creating a truly unique body of visual art. Havel Ruck Projects (Dan Havel and Dean Ruck @havelruckprojects ) is an artist collaborative that works in public and quasi-public environments to repurpose architectural structures and remnants of no perceived market value into works of art. El Franco Lee II (@elfrancosartchives ) describes his distinctive style as “Urban Mannerist Pop Art” Storytelling is at the heart of his work. He records Houston’s Hip Hop culture and his work for Meow Wolf will focus on important cultural contributors to the historic 5th ward. Kill Joy’s (@kill.joy.land ) work is grounded in honoring the earth and seeking environmental and social justice through both imaginative worlds and social movements. Afsaneh Aayani (@afsaneh_aayani ) is a Houston-based scenic designer, puppeteer, mask maker, and artist. After building extensive experience in Iran, Afsaneh took a leap of faith and moved to the USA. For her project with Meow Wolf, she will explore her heritage in an installation that honors the prolific power of women. Can’t wait to see you at the opening 🌟 More soon!

Just turned 33, baby! 💅🏼 🎂 Here’s a smattering of treasured photos from my 32nd year (best photo last). I’m astounded by all the beauty in my life and welcoming a mountain load more in the year to come! 🥹

Holy moldy raspberry! 🙏🏻 stunned by the new work by @katieryankatieryan shown in LA at @karmakarma9 until Dec 20. The show is titled “Souvenir.” She assembles these large rotting foods from precious stones like lapis, turquoise, malachite and many more. It draws attention to the beauty in decay but there is something more visceral happening beneath the surface, I can’t quite name it but it’s a strange fantastic sensation to view it in person. If you’re in LA, go see! #installation #contemporaryart #scuplture

One year since we installed Sync Whole 🌎 in Meow Wolf Houston! This project by Patrick Renner (@prennerart ) always blew me away, it’s a surprising earth cake slice that you can walk through built with over 3 TONS of found materials. Renner took the opportunity to highlight many Houston ephemera, obselete technology, crystals, geodes and remnants of culture. It’s a full on geo decedent portal, have you experienced it? Much love to the supporting Meow Wolf team ❤️ and to Renner’s crew of helping hands ( @jaykobiwan / @peeweenees / @dadsmom.be.trippin / @pinche.viejo / @fulcrum.htx )! Can’t believe it has been a year since already since our baby Radio Tave opened, @gonzo247 ! 🥹 📸 Marco Torres #installation #art #immersive

YAY: my apartment reveal with @apartmenttherapy 🛋️💕 since I moved to LA I’ve been trying to make my little bungalow rental a beautiful space as part of my vision for this new chapter of life. I custom commissioned a lot of fun sculpture/furniture objects by artists in my network for this space, I’ve spent hours searching at every flea market in LA for special treasures and done my best to infuse my spot with optimism and light. It feels like a rite of passage to finish it. Now I can fully host dinner parties for y’all! Check out the link in my bio if you wana read more about the pieces + artists + links to nearly everything is on the apartment therapy article. Thanks for @adriennebreaux & @leelacyd for their coverage and to all the homies who helped me!

Silk head scarf summer 💅🏼 join us? I hope you’re taking every moment you can to bask in the sun with cherished friends while the days are still long (whimsical lil head wrap optional)

A New York fever dream! 👁️ I caught some uncanny artwork alongside the best Dyke day March I’ve ever experienced on a recent quick trip to NY. First photo is David Altmejd’s exquisite piece “The Comets” third is Raúl De Nieves’ iconic carousel “When I Look Into Your Eyes I See The Sun” , forth is my dearest friend Amann and if you recognize the final artist’s work let me know, I can’t find his card. I stumbled into that gallery on accident, delighted to find it…Speaking of which, I‘ve never quite understood the energy of the city but this time was different. In the age of the internet, in person human connection means more to me than anything and a walkable city is *chef’s kiss*. The reality that you can stumble upon so much life- a Persian disco night, a pride protest, a sideshow clown performance- all of which found me—it just feels like a dream to me, overwhelming but ultimately enchanting. I’m excited to deepen a connection with this place.

AT LAST: the strange and sacred Temple of a Thousand Stories is ready! 💕 a new installation by the brilliant @danae_brisso . I invited Danae to design a project for meow wolf nearly three years ago. I had been mesmerized by her mural work in all its surreal magic for years. This world she created is a portal into myth, memory, and multitudes, from the Sun of Birth to the Scarab of Metamorphosis, each symbol is a seed to sit with and let grow in your heart. I’ve had the concept art for this installation taped to my desk for three years so I’ve spent many hours pondering the mystery. It’s just incredible to see Danae bring it to life with our team, I’m in awe! In Danae’s words : “It’s not a story with a clear beginning and end — it’s more like a dream you walk through with your whole body.” Have you seen it? 😭🥰 shout out in the comments if you worked on it too, it takes a village 💗 🌀 Now on view at @meowwolfsantafe 🎨 Artist: @danae_brisso 📸 @katerussellphoto #immersive #contemporaryart

It’s true, Meow Wolf is coming to New York! 🐀 🌆 The rat king Plotzo(mosaic left) broke the news today 🐀 I think Benji said it best: “New York is its own planet, a hyperobject of culture, self-assured but hungry. It devours, reinvents, and warps reality through sheer density of minds. What happens when we throw our weird into that mix? The artists, the energy, the exquisite corpse of collaboration—what egregore will emerge?” This photo is from our Houston exhibit Radio Tave where we invited collaborators to make custom art video game experiences. Pictured here are “Silverfish” by @cassiemcquater and “Sketch of a Flesh-ball” by @taaaylor4really . They are hilarious and wild. And before anyone asks, yes, we are still working very hard on LA! 🌴

My spirit is healing in a safe place inside our love 💗 I am truly grateful to expand alongside this kind, wise, brilliant man! @stevenvanbetten

Super proud Meow Wolf is now a donating partner to the LA Arts community Fire Relief Fund & you can be too! The Getty-led fund (link in bio) will provide emergency support for artists and arts workers affected by the horrific fires. It will be administered by @cci_arts , applications are open now for artists to seek support until the 18th! Meow Wolf is spending the next week encouraging guests across our 5 open exhibitions to learn about the Fund & inviting guests to join us in donating—it’s my hope we can generate momentum for additional donations across our audience of art lovers to show continued support from around the country for LA. This fund will give grants to artists and arts workers affected up to 10k each, which is so crucial after a life changing event. I’m still feeling deeply rocked (as I think the majority of LA is) by the fires that overtook our city as it was my first serious evacuation for a natural disaster. I’m also undeniably encouraged by witnessing the grace of people—holy shit, what an incredible outpouring of mutual aid and support. I’m more grateful and committed than ever to be newly part of the community here. lf you’d like to give to individual artists directly affected by the fires instead of the fund, I recommend checking out @jenstark ’s page for artist go fund me pages, you can find in her bio. Otherwise, hope you will consider giving to one of the raffles, funds, pages you see. I know the news cycle has moved on but the smoke still hasn’t cleared over here, it’s going to be a long haul and your support means everything. Throw a heart below if you have already donated to an LA fire relief cause 🩷❤️💚🩵💙💜🤎💛🧡 Art by @luke_dorman & Brandon Schmidt