George R.R. Martin helps fund Meow Wolf artspace

Writers are artists.

I don't mean to be self-aggrandizing but I believe it's a fair argument. Or if nothing else, a great many of us have a deep appreciation for art. George R. R. Martin, author of the megapopular Game of Thrones, has demonstrated such an appreciation by helping fund the Meow Wolf artspace in Santa Fe.

Now I must get back to New Mexico. I mean, take a look at it.

It is called the House of Eternal Return. There's a full-sized Victorian house within the installation where the "nature of time and space" has dissolved. Visitors to the installation don't just walk through the space, they must also climb and crawl. They are also expected to solve puzzles and acquire clues as they move along, a process that Ars Technica likens to the game Myst (check the link for more details). Said same publication also described the house's interior as have a Gothic, "pocket universe" sensibility similar to that of Donnie Darko. As I wasn't already sufficiently intrigued, that comparison drew me in all the more.

Take a look at a few of the photos at the link. Of immediate interest is the lead photo of "the aquarium." The typical reedy foliage found sprouting from aquarium floors is reproduced here in neons and fluorescents. At first blush it resembles something that a raver with highlighter markers might come up with or that one guy back in college obsessed with black light and Pink Floyd. Of course it also has fish. The "Victorian house" also has haunted forests, magical caves, and portals to other dimensions. I really dig this "it's weird and anything goes" kind of vibe and Meow Wolf must be quite something to see in person.

Martin's contribution was to buy and renovate an abandoned bowling alley to make a home for it all. Good on him. I've never read his work (as I'm certain many are now crying sacrilege) but I respect anyone who supports the arts. Something I wish I could do more of, besides just blog about it and take photos.

Tangent #1 ahead! If you're looking for more arty weirdness, I recommend Ectoplasmosis. It's a Tumblr page full esoterica and more than a few creations that will force you to question the mental state of their creators. My kinda peeps. I have easily gotten lost on the site, spending more time than I care to admit staring at photos such as the one of a fashion show featuring a plague doctor from medieval Europe. I likewise recommend the Beverly Crusher action figure going through a gallery of fan sketches and paintings of her real life counterpart. This site is not for mugwumps.

Tagent #2 ahead! Well not a tangent, really. More of an announcement. As of now, ESE is going on something of a summertime schedule. Posts will only be on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for a while. Got a lot going on at the moment.


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