Encounter Culture

For centuries, New Mexico has been a mecca where many and varied cultures have lived side by side, sharing and celebrating their cultural differences. The result — a lush, refreshing texture of styles and designs on the joyful business of living. In recent history, that has included surviving a global pandemic. So who are we now? What aspects of self do we take with us as we move forward and what do we leave behind? Whether you're cozy at home or venturing out into the world again, we're inviting you to visit us inside the museums and historic sites of New Mexico. This season, we're touring the museums of Santa Fe as host Charlotte Jusinski, our curators, artists, and exhibitors grapple with the question of identity. Visit newmexicoculture.org for more info.

Big, Toothy, and Conveniently Dead: Why We Are Obsessed with Dinosaurs, Featuring Anthony Fiorillo, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

Dec 13, 2023

If you’ve ever been to a Sinclair gas station and see the green dinosaur out front, paleontologist Tony Fiorillo says it’s a fair approximation of New Mexico’s Alamosaurus—which was first discovered in New Mexico more than one hundred years ago. Not only is the Alamosaurus a “New Mexican icon,” as Fiorillo...

Look Up! Leo Villareal's Astral Array at New Mexico Museum of Art Vladem Contemporary

Nov 29, 2023

What would it be like to see a symphony? How can you capture the rhythm of waves or a murmuration in constellations of light? If anyone can offer a visual representation of multi-sensory experiences, multimedia artist Leo Villareal can. As Villareal shares in his conversation with Encounter Culture host, Emily Withnall,...

Listen to the Land: Art at Bosque Redondo with Dakota Mace, Daisy Trudell-Mills, and Kéyah Keenan Henry

Nov 15, 2023

Indigo, cochineal, red earth, and corn pollen: these are among some of the traditional materials used in the art of Dakota Mace (Diné), Kéyah Keenan Henry (Diné), and Daisy Trudell-Mills (Santee Dakota, Mexican, and Jewish) in the Naaldeeh exhibition at the Bosque Redondo Memorial.

Dakota Mace is a nationally...

Dusty Mesas & Accessible Art: Introducing Our New Host, Emily Withnall

Oct 18, 2023

Meet Emily Withnall, the new editor of El Palacio Magazine and your new podcast host of Encounter Culture.

As a journalist and writer—and New Mexican, first of all—Emily is acquainted with all facets of the magazine publishing process. In conversation with Andrea Klunder, producer and story editor for Encounter...

Democracy is Indigenous: The Power of the Vote with Laura Harris

Jul 19, 2023

When Indigenous people vote, they honor their past and forge a better tomorrow for their communities. The act itself remains a complicated exercise. Indigenous voters must contend with a history of colonial rule, the goal of which was to eradicate their way of life, as well as present-day attempts by self-styled “poll...