The inaugural AIR festival took place in Aspen as part of Aspen Art Week, featuring a mix of talks, performances, and a closed-door retreat for artists, writers, scientists, and theorists. Highlights included a pack of panting huskies, a psychoanalysis talk in a psychedelic chapel, an artist conversing with his AI doppelganger, and a whispery musical performance on a museum rooftop. The festival kicked off with a film by Apichatpong Weerasethakul accompanied by composer Rafiq Bhatia, followed by discussions on dreaming and catastrophe, and site-responsive works by Jota Mombaça and Paul Chan.
The AIR festival matters because it adds a new intellectual and interdisciplinary dimension to Aspen Art Week, which already includes the Aspen Art Fair and the ArtCrush gala. By blending art, science, philosophy, and performance in a public-facing program, AIR positions Aspen as a destination for heady, experimental art experiences beyond the typical market-driven fair circuit. The festival's retreat and collegial vibe also signal a growing trend toward intimate, idea-focused gatherings in the art world.