Matt King, the co-founder and Senior Creative Director of Santa Fe-based art collective Meow Wolf, has died at the age of just 37 years. The company announced the news of King’s tragic untimely passing via Instagram and fans started pouring in tributes for the departed soul.
Meow Wolf spokeswoman Didi Bethurum confirmed the news of Matt King’s sudden death on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. However, the location and cause of death weren’t made public. King’s family, friends, and fans are all devastated by the unexpected incident.
“The Meow Wolf community is devastated and in absolute shock by the sudden passing of Meow Wolf co-founder, artist, and dearest friend Matt King. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and everyone who knows and loves him,” wrote Meow Wolf.
“Matt’s work as both a collaborator and artist was like no other: monumental, groundbreaking, otherworldly, and wild. This is a tremendous loss to the world. And we are tremendously grateful to have shared time and space with him,” the statement continued.
“Matt’s spirit will live on in our collective heart. We will continue to honor him by carrying his brilliance forward in our work and in our everyday lives. We love you Matt.” the statement concluded.
How did Matt King die? What was Meow Wolf’s Co-Founder’s Cause of death?
Matt King was an instrumental figure in Denver and the widely known co-founder of Meow Wolf. He was the lead artist of The Cathedral, the whimsical technicolor structure that anchors Convergence Station in Denver.
According to The Denver Post, Matt King died a sudden and unexpected death on Saturday, July 9, 2022. However, Meow Wolf announced the news of his death two days later, on Tuesday. The statement revealed that King’s death came as a shock for everyone.
Matt King was only 37 years old at the time of his death. The exact cause of his death is unknown at the time of writing alongside the location of his death. Meow Wolf and Matt’s family have decided to keep the further details about the incident private.
The information hasn’t been released to the public yet. Once it’s available, we’ll update this post. Make sure you continue to visit us frequently to stay updated.
Matt King will be remembered as an influential force in bringing the immersive installations in Denver, Santa Fe, and Las Vegas to life. He will be forever with us due to his artsy work.
Matt King Had Been with Meow Wolf Since the Start
Matt King founded Meow Wolf as a public benefit corporation alongside Sean Di Lanni, Corvus Brinkerhoff, Emily
Meow Wolf was formed to provide “systemic social change and well-being through the arts.” Matt was present at the company’s very first meeting in 2008. He created Meow Wolf’s first immersive art show before anyone else at the company know what immersive art was alongside Quinn Tincher.
“Matt is a fucking wizard who is riding rainbows in the astral plane now. His spirit is no longer constrained by the physical limitations of this world, and we all are responsible for continuing to build what he began with us here.” Meow Wolf’s statement revealed.
“He was fearless and untameable. He dedicated his life to Meow Wolf and in turn, inspired thousands of artists and built the company that we have today.” the statement said.
Meow Wolf will continue to work while remembering Matt King
Jose Tolosa, Meow Wolf CEO, said in a statement that the company plans to keep its exhibits open. “We will honor Matt’s spirit by carrying his brilliance forward in our work and in our everyday lives, building upon the monumental legacy that he leaves behind,” he said.
“Thousands have been deeply touched by the artistic genius of his work, and nothing speaks to Matt’s influence more than the Meow Wolf community who is coming together in his honor,” Tolosa added.
However, he also revealed that the company will take a pause internally while keeping its offices and artist facilities open for people to gather and pay respect to the late Matt King.
“It’s a devastating loss, but it’s not like Meow Wolf will cease to exist. It will go on in his name and honor him because I think that’s what he would want,” said Erin Barnes, a Meow Wolf spokesperson.
Matt King Early Life and Career in Immersive Arts
Matt King was born in 1985 and was a native of Arlington, Texas. He was interested in arts since childhood as revealed by his colleagues and friends in previous interviews. King was later based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
He started his career as an abstract expressionist painter and also taught grade-school children in Dallas-Fort Worth when he was staying in Texas. Additionally, he also worked as a visual artist and was a multi-instrumentalist musician.
In 2008, he co-founded Meow Wolf and went on to develop or co-develop 34 projects with the organization. Some of his most prominent works include the House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe and Omega Mart in Las Vegas. He was also the lead artist on The Cathedral in Denver.
The House of Eternal is a breathtaking explorable art experience for people of all ages. It features more than 70 rooms of immersive art and takes participants on a macrocosmic adventure of seemingly endless possibilities.
In a 2021 interview with Artnet, King and another co-founder Sean Di Lanni revealed that Meow Wolf is creating its own universe, somewhat similar to the MCU. King was the most powerful force behind it.
“Meow Wolf was part of Matt’s life purpose, which was to create a better world for humanity,” wrote Meow Wolf in their statement following King’s untimely death.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the departed soul. The world has lost a true gem. May God grant strength to his loved ones to go through these tough times.