The 12th Site Santa Fe International, titled "Once Within a Time," has opened at Site Santa Fe in New Mexico, running until January 12, 2026. Guest curated by Cecilia Alemani, director of New York's High Line, the biennial centers on visual storytelling, featuring over 70 artists and 27 historical figures. Highlights include Helen Cordero's Cochiti-inspired storyteller figurines, a film by Lebanese artist Ali Cherri at the New Mexico Military Museum, and works by literary figures D.H. Lawrence and Vladimir Nabokov. The exhibition extends beyond the main building to a dozen locations across Santa Fe, including museums, a former foundry, and storefronts.
The biennial matters because it deliberately prioritizes place-specific, community-rooted art over blue-chip trophies, reflecting a shift in curatorial practice toward regional relevance and narrative depth. Alemani's focus on Indigenous and under-the-radar artists, many with ties to New Mexico, challenges the global art fair model and underscores the power of storytelling in connecting art to local culture and history. The show also marks a revitalization for Site Santa Fe under executive director Louis Grachos, who returned in 2021 after a pandemic pause.