Meow Wolf — which runs a psychedelic string of immersive artwork displays throughout the nation — has introduced plans to construct its first East Coast outpost, at Pier 17 within the South Road Seaport neighborhood of Manhattan, with a gap set for 2027 or 2028.
“There may be huge ambition right here,” Vince Kadlubek, one of many firm’s founders, who holds the title of chief imaginative and prescient officer, mentioned in an interview. “There’s a joyful stress, the form of stress that creatives really feel if you end up reaching for one thing that’s desiring to be outstanding.”
He mentioned New York can be the corporate’s largest funding in a single location, requiring tens of tens of millions of {dollars} and collaboration between practically 500 artists and designers to fill a virtually 50,000-square-foot venue. Meow Wolf can also be partnering with Seaport Leisure Group, which operates a meals corridor and live performance venue on the website.
“The most important evolution for us within the New York challenge is the extent of connectivity between the exhibition and the participant,” mentioned Kadlubek, explaining that he wished guests to really feel like they’re inside a online game the place their decisions would possibly affect the world round them. He added that the primary sources of inspiration for this new location have been immersive theater performances like “Sleep No Extra” and a Brooklyn evening membership referred to as Home of Sure.
Meow Wolf began in 2008 as an artwork collective working on a shoestring funds in Santa Fe, N.M. However over the previous decade, it has remodeled into one of many largest immersive artwork firms on the earth, using practically 1,000 folks to run the websites, dripping in neon paint.