Currents 2016: Santa Fe's Premier International New Media Festival Highlights
Santa Fe may be landlocked, but it surges with excitement for contemporary art each June. The CURRENTS International New Media Festival transforms El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe and various venues from June 14 through June 26, 2016.
Since 2002, this renowned event has captivated art enthusiasts with innovative video installations, performance art, live music, artist talks, panels, workshops, outdoor spectacles, and digital dome experiences. Most 2016 events are free, drawing 100 artists from 18 U.S. states and 19 countries.
Explore our curated highlights, organized by venue, for an unforgettable festival experience.
El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe
This installation features discarded printer parts, a wooden shelf, projector, and MicroSD card (photo courtesy of CURRENTS 2016).Nestled in the vibrant Santa Fe Railyard, El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe—a 31,000 sq ft warehouse with galleries, exhibition spaces, and a theater—hosts CODE and NOISE. This exhibition showcases 15 artists from Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and China, using software to explore themes like the environment, memory, surveillance, and more. On view through June 26.
New Work by Steina (photo courtesy of CURRENTS 2016).
Pioneering artist Steina presents multiscreen compositions spanning decades, woven with autobiographical elements. Catch the premiere of her multi-channel video on June 25, 7:00–8:00 pm in the theater.
The Art House
Marina Zurkow, Mesocosm (Wink, TX), 2012 (Courtesy of bitforms gallery, New York).
Mouse In The Machine: Nature in the Age of Digital Art opens June 18 at The Art House, featuring 15 digital works from the Thoma Foundation collection. Artists like Nam June Paik, John Gerrard, Marina Zurkow, and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer simulate ecological systems via custom software. Join the opening reception June 18, 5:00–7:00 pm.
Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA)
The world's only articulating dome: 8,000 lbs, suspended by pulleys, with 6 projectors, 8 computers, and 6.1 surround sound (Photo courtesy of IAIA).Experience The Digital Dome at IAIA, a global fulldome leader. Fulldome screenings run June 18–19 at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 pm (40-min loops). Roadrunner Shuttle offers hourly trips from El Museo starting 1:15 pm.
Meow Wolf
Time Magazine's 50 Best Websites 2013: Everything Is Terrible!
Meow Wolf welcomes internet video collective Everything Is Terrible! on June 18 at 8:00 pm (tickets required, limited seating).
Nosaj Thing and Lucky Dragons at Meow Wolf, June 24, 9:00 pm.
Nosaj Thing and Lucky Dragons perform June 24 at 9:00 pm in "Fancy Town" (tickets available). View all Meow Wolf events (admission required).
Violet Crown Cinema
Violet Crown screens the Experimental Documentary Series June 15–23, including shorts like A Thousand Midnights on the Great Migration, and feature Natural Life (June 16 & 23, 7:00–8:30 pm) on juvenile justice inequities.
Railyard Plaza
Main characters in Elegy traverse media platforms, including 360-degree video (Photo courtesy of CURRENTS 2016).At The Railyard, don't miss Elegy on June 16 at 6:00 pm at Railyard Plaza—a transmedia, interactive performance blending live and virtual elements.
CURRENTS 2016 showcases groundbreaking new media from international artists. See the full schedule. Plan your Santa Fe visit with the official 2016 travel guide and deals.
