Counterpublic Triennial 'Coyote Time' Confronts Civic Failure Across St Louis
The third public-art triennial, Coyote Time, organized by Counterpublic, has commenced in St. Louis, Missouri, showcasing nearly 50 commissioned artworks throughout the city until December 12. The curatorial team comprises Wanda Nanibush, Raphael Fonseca, Stefanie Hessler, Jordan Carter, and Nora N. Khan. This event highlights the challenges faced by artists due to failures in civic infrastructure and cuts to public programs. St. Louis is in the process of recovery from a tornado that struck in May 2025 and is anticipating over $1 billion in federal housing grants. Featured pieces include Anika Todd's Siren Song (2026) at Chouteau's Landing, Timmy Simonds's flags at Sumner High School, and Glenn Ligon's Who Builds Anything in This Country? (2026) on the Mississippi Waterfront, all addressing local and environmental concerns.
Key facts
- Counterpublic's third public-art triennial, Coyote Time, is on view at various locations in and near St Louis, Missouri, until 12 December
- The triennial features nearly 50 commissions across permanent and temporary sites
- Curators are Wanda Nanibush, Raphael Fonseca, Stefanie Hessler, Jordan Carter and Nora N. Khan
- A May 2025 tornado struck St Louis; the alarm system failed and thousands were left stranded, and the city awaits more than $1bn in federal grants for long-term housing
- Anika Todd's Siren Song (2026) uses four municipal tornado sirens and Mississippi River field recordings at Chouteau's Landing
- Glenn Ligon's Who Builds Anything in This Country? (2026) is a serpentine brick wall on the Mississippi Waterfront tracing a line from a former enslaved brickmakers' factory to the river
- Rirkrit Tiravanija and Inès Kivimäki created projects with the International Institute, which assists recent immigrants
- Lynne Smith produced The Unloading Dock (receiving, holding) (2026) at the National Building Arts Center, founded around Larry Giles's architectural archive in the former Sterling Steel Casting Company foundry
Entities
Artists
- Martha Rosler
- Wanda Nanibush
- Raphael Fonseca
- Stefanie Hessler
- Jordan Carter
- Nora N. Khan
- Anika Todd
- Timmy Simonds
- Glenn Ligon
- Inès Kivimäki
- Rirkrit Tiravanija
- Larry Giles
- Lynne Smith
- Kite
- Alice Bucknell
- Petrit Halilaj
- Dail Chambers
- Tony Cokes
- Margaret Honda
- Chris Carl
- Carolina Caycedo
- Rebecca Belmore
- Max Hooper Schneider
- Sadie Red Wing
- Tina Turner
- Arthur Ashe
- Dick Gregory
- Grace Bumbry
- Nick Cave
- Sandra Brewster
- Petrit Haliaj
- Anjulie Rao
- Wile E. Coyote
Institutions
- Counterpublic
- International Institute
- National Building Arts Center
- Sterling Steel Casting Company
- Sumner High School
- Chouteau's Landing
- The Art Newspaper
- Frieze New York
- The Shed
- International Institute of St. Louis
- Stowe Teacher's College
- People's Art and Recreation Center
- NON STNDRD
- Monsanto
- 125 Newbury Gallery
- St. Louis International Institute
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Trump administration
Locations
- St Louis
- Missouri
- United States
- Mississippi River
- Gateway Arch
- The Ville
- Chouteau's Landing
- St. Louis
- New York
- North St. Louis
- Mississippi riverfront
- Monticello
- Illinois
- Sugarloaf Mound
- Chicago