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GILBERT “WACO” MACO CISCO GOLDY MOODY RAINBOWS DILLY MATT KING ♥ rundown Texas tavern into a lively haven for all manner of beings, making every night an unforgettable celebration for the past 37 years. Recently, they’ve welcomed Cisco into their joyous companionship. Angel is an ageless, genderless divine being of light, capable of taking many forms, but often appears as a translucent, glowing humanoid. In Cowboix Hevvven, being trans goes beyond gender, but also time and space — a multidimensional spectrum of existence. Angel is a fifth-dimensional entity whose magical pedal steel playing has enchanted audiences since they met Batsy in the ‘70s, creating a perfect balance of dark and light in their eternal love. There are also depression demons that represent the sadness in country music and our own hearts (the character Eloc, a portrait of Wilson’s grief that cries into its beer); old timer Humanoid armadillos, a half Human half Glitzian adjoined entity, a sentient clod of unlucky mud, a literal pool shark that will talk smack about your shoddy pool playing, and a fiery mega country superstar who had everything in the world but walked offstage one day to return to the simplicity of the dive bar. Most poignantly, there is a rainbow angel that represents the beloved late co-founder of Meow Wolf, Matt King. Wilson was close to King — and like many Meow Wolf artists, he wanted to immortalize his friend in this hauntingly striking statue that radiates with glowing light. None of the characters are on one side of a strict binary between good and evil; all of them are somewhere on the spectrum, just figuring things out. Wilson described the scene, “every day is the same Friday night, one stroke ‘til midnight.” It begs the question, even if you’re stuck in an endless party, does it feel like a trap? Cowboix Hevvven’s otherworldly qualities are balanced by its real dive bar charms, as it features an interactive pool table, a photo booth and a jukebox that plays music created by Wilson as well as 30 songs licensed by Texas musicians. It will open with the rest of the Houston exhibition with a full menu, and entry will only be available to those purchasing Meow Wolf tickets. The collaborative work of many artists went into this installation, including a dedicated team of production managers, fabricators, tech installers, CAD designers and more. Lead artists who worked on Cowboix Hevvven include Jaelah Kuehmichel, Max Cohn, Sofia Howard, Caity Kennedy, Karen Lembke, Cat Mills-Flegal, Emilio Pincheira, Elana Schwartz, Wylla Skye, Zach Sawan, Charlotte Thurman, Enoch Mcpherson, Chris Hilson and Jess Webb. There’s an expected curiosity around Texans’ reception towards this playful exploration of the cowboy archetype. Certainly there will be many folks for whom this welcoming space is sorely needed. Wilson joyfully explained, “For every person, the invitation stands … and we will be there at Cowboix Hevvven to greet you with love and grace.” STAY TUNED FOR THE OPENING OF MEOW WOLF HOUSTON, TX WHERE YOU CAN SEE COWBOIX HEVVVEN & MORE: MEOWWOLF.COM/VISIT/HOUSTON CHECK OUT MEOW WOLF'S OTHER PORTALS NEAR YOU: CONVERGENCE STATION IN DENVER, CO; HOUSE OF ETERNAL RETURN IN SANTA FE, NM; OMEGA MART IN LAS VEGAS, NV; THE REAL UNREAL IN GRAPEVINE, TX; AND COMING SOON ... LOS ANGELES, CA! — MEOWWOLF.COM/VISIT 21

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