Inside Meow Wolf Los Angeles: Gabriela Ruiz on Art, Identity, and Immersive Worlds

Transcribed by Rivka Yeker

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Meow Wolf Los Angeles is coming, and with that comes a special group of collaborating artists we’re working with to bring the space to life. Our artist liaison, AJ Girard, sat down with our first collaborating artist we’re showcasing: Gabriela (Gabby) Ruiz. Find out more about her connection to the city, some sweet insider tips, and what she’s excited about for Meow Wolf Los Angeles:

AJ: Gabby, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I’m really excited for your new project with Meow Wolf! Tell us about who you are and what mediums you work with. 

Gabby: I’m Gabriela Ruiz, a Los Angeles-based artist. I work across different mediums. I work in large-scale installations, sculpture, painting, and performance. A lot of the time, my work has to do with creating immersive spaces for people to experience.

AJ: You always bring in, for me, life, the city, the energy. When I witness your artwork, I’m either transported to another place or immediately recognizing where I’ve been in my own life. What does a day in your life look like for you? 

Gabby: Usually, my days really start slow. I try to take my mornings as a resting space. It’s usually the only time I have to myself before I head to the studio, and then I spend the rest of my day there. So mornings are really my time to catch up on anything outside of the studio. 

AJ: Can you tell us about your studio or working space? Or maybe how you go about creating new works, or works we may have seen before?

Gabby: My studio is my happy place. It’s where everything begins. It’s where I research, read, experiment, and let ideas take shape. I really love having people over, talking, sharing ideas, letting conversations spiral into something unexpected. Or just quietly spending time in the studio with my studio mate, Paz, working side by side. 

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AJ: What are you most excited to bring to this Meow Wolf project?

Gabby: Oh, there’s so much. I’m really excited about everything the team and I have been creating. Seeing how my room is coming together has been so surreal. They asked me to dream big, and so I did. I told them, “I want this and that,” and they were like, “Okay, cool, we’re gonna put this together.” And it’s been so cool to watch this whole team work. I’m obsessed, like truly obsessed with all of it. Every single person’s role, every tiny part, is what’s making this world come to life. Seeing it built piece by piece feels unreal. I’m just so excited.

AJ: Yeah, and I was excited to see you get that type of support, too. I never questioned your ideas - it was more about, how do we bring this to life? I’m really happy to hear you have that support! What is your connection to Los Angeles as a whole?

Gabby: LA is home. I was born and raised here, so the connection runs deep. My family is here. My family lives in different parts of the county, so I feel like I get an overall experience of it. I don’t know if that fully answers the question, but my friends and my family really inspire me. I feel like being around my loved ones really helps activate my creativity.

AJ: You kind of answered this, but I’ll still ask: how does the city feed you artistically? How does it continue to inspire you, if it does – or even if it doesn’t?

Gabby: My friends and family inspire me, they’re really the heart of it. But the city fuels me in a different way. We have a different understanding of the city because how much time we spend in our cars. Being able to drive through LA and just explore different parts of it is huge for me. I love that I can move through so many different neighborhoods, it almost feels like shifting between worlds. And at night especially… that’s my favorite. No traffic, just space. I can just roam. There’s so much freedom in that. I also really love all the different communities that make LA what it is. The mix of cultures is so special to witness. 

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AJ: Let’s go back to memory and nostalgia. If you were giving a tour of LA to people who aren’t from here, what places would be on your tour? Are there any good, fun eats or spots you’d recommend for someone visiting?

Gabby: That’s a really hard question. I will say, if you’re new to the city and you really want good food: whatever list you saw on TikTok or  Instagram, drop that. Cancel that. Roam the city. Really roam the city. There are so many incredible mom-and-pop shops and holes in the wall. Hit up K-Town for the best Korean food. Honestly, the Valley has such incredible food. I’m from the Valley, so I’m biased, but truly, we have the best. Incredible Mexican food, Indian food, Asian food, Mediterranean food, Persian food. For all my vegans the Valley has you covered. Get out of “proper LA.” Go to Rowland Heights, Inglewood, San Gabriel Valley…they have best Asian food you’ll get anywhere.

AJ: Is there anything you want your audience to leave with when they visit your site and your location? With your prior work, every time I go into a laundromat or think about security cameras, I don’t think about them with the same seriousness. I think about them with joy and fun. So is there anything you want to leave your audience with in this room – this space you’re building at Meow Wolf?

Gabby: I want them to walk away wanting more.

AJ: I love that. That’s a perfect answer. Because you always give us more anyway. It’s never enough…in the best way.

Gabby: Thank you! I love the entire Meow Wolf team, and shout out to them for supporting their artists.

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Follow Gabriela Ruiz on Instagram to check out more of her art. You can also see her work at the Whitney Biennial 2026 starting March 8.

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For more updates on artists and what's coming up for Meow Wolf Los Angeles, check out this page and subscribe to our emails.