SITE Santa Fe International focuses the global contemporary art gaze on The City Different
By Ylise Kessler
Maja Ruznic, The Dark Place of Star Lines and Electricity, 2023, oil on canvas, 100″ x 150″ x 2 1/2″
Santa Fe has always been a magnetic force for artists, a place where ancient stories and avant-garde visions collide. This year, SITE Santa Fe’s 12th International, Once Within a Time, running June 27-Jan. 13, will transform it into the global epicenter of contemporary art, integrating the city’s rich history with cutting-edge contemporary art, drawing from a planetary perspective while remaining deeply rooted in place.
Simone Leigh, Untitled, 2023–2024, earthenware, stoneware, and steel armature, 90″ x 73″ x 75″.
At the heart of this ambitious undertaking is Italian curator based in New York, Cecelia Alemani, whose selection of artists drew from her international sensibilities and wealth of experience. As curator of the widely acclaimed exhibit The Milk of Dreams at the 59th Venice Biennale, as well as New York’s stellar art program The High Line, she stands out not just for her aesthetic sensibilities, but for intellectual depth. Unlike biennials that rely on collective curatorial teams, she has developed a singular, coherent vision for Once Within a Time. Her approach is neither encyclopedic nor merely thematic, but instead is an intricate weaving of ideas, materials, and histories that reflect both New Mexico’s past and the broader contemporary world.
The 12th International Biennial takes its title, Once Within a Time, from Godfrey Reggio’s 2022 film, a surreal meditation on storytelling, human nature, and technology. Inspired by Reggio’s circular narratives, the exhibition centers on storytelling, weaving together historical and contemporary figures connected to Santa Fe. Alemani’s commitment to the project is palpable. Since accepting the role, she has immersed herself in the history of the region, delving into New Mexico’s complex narrative. Her research has led her to the mythologies and historical figures that shaped this land, people she tagged “figures of interest.”
In Alemani’s words, “Conceived as a vast family album, Once Within a Time takes cues from the lives of a vibrant collection of Santa Feans, bringing together figures both historical and current, real and imagined, whose existential adventures step into dialogue with works of contemporary art.” The exhibition, she emphasizes, “will not simply place contemporary works alongside historical artifacts but will engage in a dynamic dialogue between them, asking questions about legacy, representation, and continuity.”
Louis Grachos, the Phillips executive director at SITE Santa Fe, has this to say about the pending event: “I think one facet of the imagery in her show is that she brings out this sort of transcendental aspect that was such a significant part of the culture, especially in Taos, through the influence of people like Mabel Dodge. But what’s also interesting is how figures like D.H. Lawrence and various artists, both historic and contemporary, have contributed to this. There’s an element in her show that feels less conventional than what you might expect from someone curating a strictly art-historical, linear exhibition. But she doesn’t work that way. She curates through ideas and themes. Yes, she draws from literature, but also from these quirky historical figures who help us understand why. For example, New Mexico has such a strong wellness culture. Francis Schlatter, for instance brought his vision of healing and built a cult following in the 1870s through the 1890s. These are fascinating themes to explore about our region. What excites me most is how she will connect these ideas to the contemporary artists she’s bringing in.”
The International will be unlike any before it. It extends far beyond the walls of a single museum, encompassing six local cultural institutions and noninstitutional sites, as well as activating unexpected spaces like the old Shidoni Foundry property, vacant storefronts, toy shops, hotel rooms, and historical cinemas, among many others. Symbols of shifting economies and changing urban landscapes, they will house installations bringing global perspectives into direct conversation with the everyday life of Santa Fe. The artistic presentations encompass a range of interventions, from site-specific sculptures and large-scale installations to subtle disruptions and participatory actions. The artist commissions involve production of new works that infiltrate the routines and configurations of the city.
Once Within a Time will include more than 300 artworks made from 1926 to the present. Around half of the participating artists will present new commissions that engage directly or indirectly with the experiences and lore of the figures of interest. Seventy-one international artists, alongside more than 20 “figures of interest,” both real and fictional, historical and contemporary, with strong ties to Santa Fe and the surrounding region will be present. In addition to aforementioned art patron Mable Dodge Lujan and writer D.H. Lawrence, these include author Willa Cather, the Fire Spirit of the annual Zozobra burning in Santa Fe, Hernán Cortés’s Mexican Native consort La Malinche, and recently deceased Kiowa author N. Scott Momaday. The singular life stories of these figures are woven into a rich narrative texture with the work of the exhibiting artists whose works span continents and disciplines. Among them are local contemporary Indigenous and Hispanic artists such as Joanna Keane Lopez and Autumn Chacon, whose work challenges conventional representations of identity. The curator has taken this challenge to heart, ensuring that fresh voices and perspectives take center stage, eschewing the expected in favor of bold, new expressions.
In addition to the exhibition itself, June 30-July 3, the International will host the annual International Biennial Association meeting, bringing together representatives from 22 biennials worldwide. This gathering, the first hosted in the United States, will not be an insular affair but will feature public programming designed to foster direct engagement between local audiences and international curators.
Public programming has been a cornerstone of the International’s development. During the opening gala weekend, on July 18, Laurie Anderson, one of the most innovative multimedia artists of our time, will perform, creating a moment of artistic convergence that bridges sound, storytelling, and technology. Anderson’s performance runs full circle, as she performed at the very first SITE Biennial, Longing and Belonging: From the Faraway Nearby, 30 years ago, in 1995. In addition, Autumn Chacon’s opera, Malinxe, will be staged twice—on Aug. 15 and Aug. 17 (both at dusk)—outdoors in Diablo Canyon, a site known for its dramatic landscapes and deep historical resonance. Jeffrey Gibson, whose work explores Indigenous identity through contemporary materials, will perform and host a book signing on Aug. 16 for The Space in Which to Place Me, celebrating his 2024 US Pavilion exhibition at the 60th Venice Biennale. His was the first solo presentation of an Indigenous artist for the US, which was co-sponsored by SITE Santa Fe. This event will provide further opportunities for dialogue and connection.
The International is not only about spectacle; it is about impact. Beyond attracting international visitors, it aims to deepen engagement within Santa Fe’s own community, creating opportunities for residents to experience art in new ways. The fall 2025 programming, developed in collaboration with partner institutions, will ensure that the International’s presence is felt throughout the city, making contemporary art accessible to a broad audience. For details on these additional events, see sitesantafe.org/en/international/.
By intertwining contemporary practice with historical depth, activating
unexpected spaces, and fostering dialogue between local and global communities, this biennial positions Santa Fe as a crucial nexus for contemporary art. As Santa Fe prepares to welcome artists, curators, and visitors from around the world, one thing is clear: this International is not simply another event on the art world’s calendar. It is a statement, a vision, and a bold declaration that Santa Fe remains, as it has always been, a place where art does not just exist but thrives, evolves, and transforms.
From the Summer 2025 issue
