Courtesy SITE Santa Fe
Ah, to be Young
SITE Santa Fe’s Young Curators kick off new exhibit
Don’t get mad that we’ve got SITE Santa Fe on the Picks page twice—but there’s a high bar to accessing the fine art world; there’s a high bar like woah. It’s the kind of stark reality that just plain deters those who might otherwise create unbelievable work, and it’s the kind of thing that disproportionately affects youths. At SITE Santa Fe, however, the kids get encouraged, and a new show at the internationally renowned institution puts some of those very kids on display. Check out Everything is Beautiful this week, an exhibit from the Young Curators program.
At its simplest, the long-running initiative teaches kids how to operate in the arts world while also delving into deeper ideas surrounding art making itself. You might even be surprised by how many local faves have been churned out or otherwise affected by the program.
At its upcoming show, the current Young Curators cohort of 12- to 18-year-old students first identified passions, target audiences and what makes for compelling art. Then, working collaboratively all the way through, the group eventually nailed down an intriguing topic: transformation through discomfort.
In this instance, that concept is split into works about climate change and the uncanny valley (boiled down, when lifelike robots or AI freak living humans out). These ideas overlap in Everything is Beautiful across pieces from 15 young artists in mediums like clothing, sculpture, altered found pieces and more. Everything, in fact, was created from otherwise discarded materials. This one might get uncomfortable, but that’s a good thing. That’s how we grow, that’s how we learn. (Alex De Vore)
Daniel Quat
Be Merry
We here at SFR have been huge fans of the New Mexico Museum of Art’s Chief Curator of Contemporary Art Merry Scully, so when we heard she’d be hosting an art talk on SITE Santa Fe’s recent Helen Pashgian show and the science of how that might give us feels, we just knew we’d have to tell you. Here’s us doing that. Scully is set to dig into concepts surrounding Pashgian’s place in the Light and Space movement, as well as the impacts—both emotional and over-arching—Pashgian’s contributions have on West Coast arts. Toss in some thoughts on physical sensation and perception, and you’ve really got something. If nothing else, you deserve to hear Scully talk art. Trust us. (ADV)
Helen Pashgian: The Science of Feeling with Merry Scully: 5 pm Thursday, Jan. 27. $5. SITE Santa Fe, 1606 Paseo de Peralta, (505) 989-1199
Courtesy Lone Piñon
A Little Less Lone
If you’re one of the small handful of Santa Feans left who somehow hasn’t engaged with, fallen in love with or otherwise discovered Lone Piñon, you can finally solve your dilemma when the puro Nuevo Mexicano string band takes over Totemoff’s up at the ski basin this week. An amalgamation of cultures, traditions and musical stylings, Lone Piñon is the sort of band that delves deep into music history, adds its own flavor and kicks out a sound that is all at once an homage to the old and an evolution of the new. “If you’re really into the music and want to play it the best you can, that implies understanding the tradition and integrity of it,” member Jordan Wax told SFR in 2019. Those tenets still land today, plus have you ever had a beer up on the mountain while music plays? Magic. (ADV)
Lone Piñon: 11 am-3 pm Saturday, Jan. 29. Free. Totemoff’s @Ski Santa Fe, 1477 Hwy. 475, (505) 982-4429
Public Domain
Calling All Queers
While many a borderline ‘phobe has often wondered, nonplussed, why our queer siblings would need specific sites set aside just for them, we think it’s quite obvious: Straight-ness being considered the default means of existence is an absolute curse, and safe spaces where people who face the worst of society can mingle, grab a drink and feel safe and accepted are invaluable. And though the gay bar concept in any official capacity long ago left Santa Fe behind, a night dedicated to our queer residents can help soften some of that blow. In this instance, it’s at La Reina within the El Rey Court, and it goes down every Monday night. It’s not a solution to all the world’s problems, but it’s something. (ADV)
Queer Night @La Reina: 5 pm Monday, Jan. 31. Free. El Rey Court, 1862 Cerrillos Road, (505) 982-1931
