Meow Wolf is set to make a splash in Houston's Fifth Ward. Just in time for Halloween, the doors of Meow Wolf Houston will open, promising an experience that's part scavenger hunt, part escape room, with a good measure of dance party thrown in for good measure. The immersive art experience is located at 2103 Lyons and features contributions from over 100 artists—more than half of them Texans, as the Houston Chronicle details.
Meow Wolf's approach to art is hands-on and interactive. This exhibit is designed to encourage full sensory engagement. "Pick up that pencil. Press the button. Open that cabinet. There are Easter eggs everywhere," as artist liaison Mario Enrique Figueroa Jr., also known as Gonzo247, told the Houston Chronicle. From the entrance—a mundane radio station façade—the art installation spirals into an array of vibrant spaces, including a bar and restaurant named Cowboix Hevvven, which interweaves traditional cowboy culture with a queer narrative. "You belong here. You are welcome here. This is for you," says Cole Bee Wilson, the location's lead artist and creative director for Cowboix Hevvven, in driving home the inclusive message of the space.
In the lead-up to the unveiling, Meow Wolf was actively recruiting over 50 workers to join their innovative team as reflected by statements made by Regional Public Relations Manager Connor Gray. "We are people who drive and thrive off of creativity, and that is no exception when it comes to all of our employees, and that includes a lot of our hourly employees as well. So, if you’re looking for a company that’s innovative and different and wants to accept you in any kind of capacity that you are, I think Meow Wolf is perfect for you," Gray said in a statement obtained by Houston Public Media. With its doors now open, the installation is not just an art venue but a significant source of employment in the area.
Notable among the multi-sensory spaces is Jasmine Zelaya's Flower Face Room, where large-scale portraits intend to offer a perspective on the first-generation Latina experience and the strong aesthetic of the chola culture that influenced her. She collaborated with Meow Wolf's sound technicians to capture the essence of lowrider culture through the space's audio. Susie Cowan, Meow Wolf Senior Creative Producer, highlighted the local flair in the works: "The fun part about including the local Houston artists is they really sort of bring the city to life in terms of their art and the way they work with us," Cowan explained in remarks shared by Houston Public Media.
