There is a small parking lot at this Bureau of Land Management site, but no facilities. If you are craving some time outdoors and the weather is favorable, make the short drive out to the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Site for a brief hike up to hundreds of ancient petroglyphs etched into the mesa cliffs. (Reserve your spot well ahead of time, of course.) You may want to tie your visit to this neighborhood before an evening on the Sky Railway, a murder mystery train ride called “DeathCookie.” It’s another chance to use your smarts to solve a sci-fi mystery, but also while enjoying a meal and taking in the desert scenery. It is mind-boggling what can be made from this one plant! Just across the street is TAI Modern, a gallery devoted to bamboo arts.
“Direct Action” will be on display through May 8. On this trip, we saw two installations by Mexican artist and social activist Pedro Reyes that involve repurposing guns into shovels or musical instruments. I’ve come to appreciate the curatorial style at SITE Santa Fe, part of the city’s vibrant Railyard Arts District. While the materials seem so simple - paper, paste and paint - the results are brilliant and colorful, but also mind-blowing, with life-size (and larger) figures from myths and Day of the Dead celebrations. Also on display at this museum for this year is La Cartoneria Mexicana, or The Mexican Art of Paper and Paste. The permanent collection of miniature worlds from dozens of countries and cultures is appealing to all ages with scenes of bullfighting, tea parties, deserts, heaven and hell, and so much more. It was mind-bending and delightful - and hard to leave.Īnother favorite is the Museum of International Folk Art up on Museum Hill. Like entering a haunted house through heavy black flaps, you find yourself in a dark room illuminated by red beams of light that emit sound when you run your fingers through the beams. Our favorite room was just beyond these and one that I missed on my first visit: the laser harp. Pause to watch the video here of a dystopian future during the “Pueblo Revolt.” Fisher’s art takes you into the realm of outer space with a capsule you can climb inside.
Ortiz is from the Cochiti Pueblo south of the city, and his installation pulls from his Native American background.
Two other artists, Jacob Fisher and Virgil Ortiz, have new rooms nearby. Look for the buttons on either side of the wheel across from the portal to get it spinning and then put on your glasses so your eyes can play tricks on your brain. Drawing on the artist’s Asian-American heritage, the room is like a psychedelic prayer room with a portal entry from the main room. My tip: Get those 3-D glasses they offer before you enter so you can really appreciate the neon space by artist Lauren YS, aka Squidlicker.
The immersive and interactive art experience (with a complicated backstory) differs significantly from location to location, so even if you’ve been to the Denver location, it’s worth a visit here. That means the experience can be fresh for repeat visitors. Although I’ve been to this original location before, as well as the one in Denver, I was happy to return because, although the original exhibition and story inside are constant, the space allows for new artists and their installations. The phenomenon that is Meow Wolf started in a former bowling alley in Santa Fe. From art to a transformational retreat, there are many mind-altering - or trippy - options to consider on your next excursion to Santa Fe. Yet this small city is like a world away from the Front Range in terms of the vibe and activities. Less than six hours by car from Denver, Santa Fe is close enough for a weekend away or for spring break without a long flight. Santa Fe calls itself “The City Different” in New Mexico’s Land of Enchantment, but could it change you into a different person while visiting?
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