Albuquerque
Looking for something different to do this weekend? Check out the International Wind Festival at the New Mexico Multi-Cultural Foundation.
The festival, which opened on June 22, runs through October 22 and showcases the incredible talent of artists, designers and scientists who work with one of New Mexico’s most abundant natural resources – the wind.
Displays are available for viewing from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. seven days a week.
Over 200 artistic and technical devices, all powered by wind, will be exhibited in outdoor gardens, alive with excitement and sound caused by movement, color, and music.
The many pieces on show include: whirling whirligigs, melodic wind chimes, colorful windsocks (some up to 22 feet long) and large stainless steel sculptures soaring to 50 feet in height.
The sculptures are from all over the western US and many artists have created pieces just for the festival. The materials used include fabric, plastic, wrought iron, copper, brass, wood and stainless steel.
There are many small pieces being displayed, but here are some of the New Mexico artists who have created some of the major sculptural pieces that are represented:
- George Manus, from Albuquerque, who will display 15 monumental and kinetic steel sculptures. Manus produces a unique blend of abstract and contemporary images from a variety of metals.
- Ryan and Reba Trujillo, of Albuquerque, will display a whimsical metal dream garden.
- Michael Kaczor, of Algondones, will display a handmade wooden biplane with a wing span of 66 inches.
- Students from New Mexico Tech in Socorro have designed and fabricated an exhibit showing how the wind affects vehicles traveling on the roadways.
The festival is being held on a 20 acre site at Traditions, A Festival Marketplace located at exit 257 off I-25, halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
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April 11, 2024
