local lit

Celebrate the release of Nick Courtright’s Punchline by catching one of theauthor's upcoming appearances

Regular readers of CultureMap’s Literature section will recall that, last fall, we excerpted local writer Nick Courtright’s Punchline, a collection of poems inspired by classic quotes and written in mind-expandingly illustrative prose.

(You can catch up on the series, starting with an interview with the author; here are parts one, two, three and four of our excerpts.)

Fans of Courtright’s work (and we know there are a lot of you), rejoice, because the full volume is now available from Gold Wake Press, an independent publisher that features exclusive online and print pieces from some of the nation’s most exciting up-and-coming writers.

Acclaimed poet Nicky Beer has said Punchline's poems "mine the frustrating unknowableness of the world, and celebrate its exhilarating mystery with elegance, compassion, and imagination.” And the audience agrees: "These are poems that seek everything, question everything, yet take nothing for granted. Sometimes mystical, other times existential, these poems address themes that would be at home in the work of Blake, Whitman, and Bly," says reader Gerry M. Hopkins.

Go beyond the page and experience Punchline in person; on Saturday, March 24, Courtright appears at Lord Weary’s Reading Series (held by students of UT’s Michener Center).

You can also see him on March 31 at UNT in Dallas, April 17 at Concordia in Austin and in June at BookPeople with author Julie Choffel. If you can’t make it out to an event, hear the poet on KOOP’s Writing on the Air on April 18, and be on the lookout for his forthcoming interview in Texas State’s literary journal, Front Porch.

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Get your copy of Punchline on Courtright’s site, or through Powells (or Amazon or BN.com)

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Interactive art space Meow Wolf broadcasts Texas opening, radio theme

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

Art-loving Texans will soon have a new venue to explore. Houston’s Meow Wolf has set its opening date and revealed the theme that governs its interactive installations.

Set to open on October 31, Houston’s Meow Wolf will be called Radio Tave — a riff on “radio wave.” Described in press materials as a radio station that’s been transported to another dimension, Meow Wolf visitors will be able to explore dozens of rooms filled with interactive elements such as hidden doors, paths, and portals.

For those unfamiliar, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based art collective that’s opening its fifth installation in Houston’s Fifth Ward. Think of it as a choose your own adventure contemporary art museum loaded with sculptures, murals, video, and light and sound artworks that each contribute a small piece of the overall theme.

Towards that end, Radio Tave will be stocked with a mix of characters — some created for the venue and others that nod to Meow Wolf’s installations in four other U.S. cities, including the Dallas suburb of Grapevine. That includes a radio station with the call letters ETNL and its own slogan, “Big Sounds From Little Thicket.” As seen in the photos above, the radio station already has a website with a placeholder page.

“Houston is a powerhouse of creativity, and our artists and collaborators have been channeling that electric energy into this exhibition for years,” Meow Wolf CEO Jose Tolosa said in a statement. “They've taken it to the next level, capturing the city's vibrancy in every corner of the experience. We can't wait for you to step inside and explore it for yourself.”

As CultureMap has previously reported, a diverse ensemble of more than 50 contributing artists from Texas has collaborated with Meow Wolf’s in-house artist team to bring the facility to life. The list of local creative superstars included such well know artists as innovative theatrical set and puppet designer Afsaneh Aayani, art activist Kill Joy, and two longtime pillars of Houston’s installation and immersive art community in Dan Havel and Dean Ruck of Havel Ruck Projects.

"The visuals and soundscapes of Radio Tave are on another level,” senior creative producer Susie Cowan added. “Visitors will be immersed in a rich, multi-sensory experience that invites them to explore a world that feels both vast and deeply personal."

Meow Wolf Cowboix Hevvven jukebox Cowboix Hevvven's jukebox will feature 30 tracks recorded by Texas artists. Photo by Kate Russell

Meow Wolf will feature a venue space, a gift shop, and Cowboix Hevvven, a dive bar-inspired bar and restaurant that will offer “otherworldly Texan hospitality and comfort food.” Cole Bee Wilson, a fifth generation Texan and Meow Wolf’s lead artist, took the lead in creating Cowboix Hevvven. True to the venue’s theme, it will feature a jukebox with 30 songs created by Texas artists for Meow Wolf.

Annual season passes are currently on sale for $84. They include unlimited visits to the venue and perks such as a 10-percent discount at both the gift shop and Cowboix Hevvven.

Subscribers to Meow Wolf’s email list may purchase single-day passes beginning September 24. General tickets will go on sale October 1.

Photo by Tarick Foteh

Travel to another dimension at Meow Wolf.

meow wolf openings visual-art