Nestled in the hi desert of the Little San Bernardino mountains, Joshua Tree is quite the haven for artists of all mediums, but especially site specific assemblage and sculpture, much of which is peppered throughout the area and not just Joshua Tree.

The surrounding towns of Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley, Wonder Valley, Landers, Pioneertown and Morongo Valley are all burgeoning with creativite souls and art is alive and flourishing in the hi desert. From Art in Public Places, Oasis of Murals and Art Tours to Noah Purifoy and Bobby Furst, the art here is as diverse as the seasons.

Down in the Coachella Valley near Palm Springs, where another thriving art scene flourishes, an epic, art exhibit is happening now through May 16th… it’s called Desert X. Produced every two years by non-profit organization, The Desert Biennial, Desert X focuses on recurring, outdoor, site-specific installations created by acclaimed international artists. Their sculptural works span desert locations and “collectively posing urgent questions about our pasts while imagining the possibilities of a shared future.”

Desert X “explores the desert as both a place and idea, acknowledging the realities of people who reside here and the political, social, and cultural contexts that shape our stories.” Desert X, which began on March 12 and runs through May 16, requires a car to see and is a free, self guided, outdoor experience where one can determine their own beginning and end. Makes for an awesome day trip from the Joshua Tree Gateway Communities! Grab some Breakfast or lunch at a local restaurant before you head out on your Desert X road trip.

Once you’re ‘down the hill’, a good place to start the journey is at the Desert X Hub located in the Ace Hotel & Swim Club located at 701 E Palm Canyon Dr in Palm Springs.

Pick up a printed program, purchase Desert X stuff or speak with volunteers who will help plan your day. Desert X also has its own mobile app to download for both Android and iOS, making it easy to become your own Desert X docent.

Whether you see some or all of it in one day or spread your experience over several, Desert X will make you stop and reflect about the rich history and indigenous culture that is part of this California desert and this beautiful valley. We chose to write about four profound works from this year’s Desert X exhibition. Using the Desert X mobile app, this was the order in which the works were seen.

First on my list was“Never Forget”, created by Nicholas Galenin, a Tlingit and Unangax̂ artist and musician, looms over the valley North of the Palm Springs Visitors Center at Tramway Road. At 45 feet tall, each letter spells out “Indian Land” a direct reference to the Hollywood sign, which initially spelled out “Hollywoodland”, up until 1949. Standing before this massive piece, in the dry desert breeze, one can’t help but be mesmerized by the large scale, visceral poignancy of the work and its message.

The Desert X site says that in that era, “Studio contracts limited actors’ travel, contributing to the city’s (Palm Springs) rise as a playground and refuge to the stars. Meanwhile, the white settler mythology of America as the land of the free, home of the brave was promoted in the West, and the landscape was cinematized through the same lens.” – Desert X.

Next up, we visited “The Wishing Well” by Serge Attukwei Clottey, a sculptural installation of large-scale cubes draped with sheets of woven pieces of yellow plastic

Rossana Jeran of JTGC Media for the California Welcome Center in Yucca Valley Kufuor gallons that were once used to transport water in Ghana. This piece, on view from sunrise to sunset, sits on the lawn just west of the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center at 480 W. Tramview Road in Palm Springs. 

The Desert X site says that “The Wishing Well refers to the wells to which many people around the world must trek daily to access water. Europeans introduced Kufuor gallons, or jerrycans, to the people of Ghana to transport cooking oil. As repurposed relics of the colonial project, they serve as a constant reminder of the legacies of the empire and of global movements for environmental justice. Sited in the Coachella Valley, whose future is deeply dependent on water, The Wishing Well creates a dialogue about our shared tomorrow.” – Desert X.

Off to Palm Desert to see “The Passenger.” Super excited to see this art maze made of natural fibers. Upon arrival, one walks through thick sand to get to the opening of the maze.

The Desert X site states this installation, “an arrow tip-shaped maze, made from walls of petates — traditional rugs woven from palm fibers, was created by Eduardo Sarabia, and “inspired by the trope of the journey that for generations has been closely bound to stories of the desert. From biblical narratives of exodus to the treks of immigrants searching for better tomorrows, the necessity to move from one place to another has shaped a shared experience across cultures.” – Desert X

The Passenger is located at Frank Sinatra Drive and Portola Avenue in Palm Desert. Last Stop, before heading back to Joshua Tree: Desert Hot Springs. 

Going to see ParaPivot (sempiternal clouds), by artist Alicja Kwade, is quite the experience! It involves walking up a steep incline to the top of a hill. One can’t help but feel like they’re on a pilgrimage to see this sculpture in the sky. There it towers over the valley like a temple of steel and floating marble; Mt. San Jacinto in the distance. Reservations are recommended to visit this installation from Thursday to Sunday, which is located at 71690 Channel Run Road Sky Valley, CA 92242 in Desert Hot Springs.

The Desert X site says that “The sculpture consists of interlocking frames supporting large blocks of white marble that appear as ice calved from a distant glacier. The array of steel and stone draws viewers into the frame of this massive, yet fragile, universe where simple forms yield complex meanings. Time and space become distorted as rocks pulled from 200 million years ago levitate into the clear blue sky. Like the experience of desert itself, ParaPivot, even as it is made up largely of emptiness, is dense with meaning.” – Desert X

Desert X Logistics:

Where: At sites across the Coachella Valley, CA. Visit www.desertx.org for a map or download their free mobile app for both Android and iOS devices. The app provides a map and information about each artist and installation. Or visit the Desert X Hub at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club at 701 E Palm Canyon Dr in Palm Springs to begin the journey.

Cost: The entire exhibition is free thanks to generous contributions from donors, foundations, and corporate sponsors.

Hours: All locations are accessible by car. Visiting hours are sunrise to sunset Monday through Sunday. For some exhibits, it is recommended you register for a ticket due to crowds and the need to socially distance. Masks are also required.

Desert X is a thought provoking exhibition exploring the history and current status of this desert land with ephemeral works of art that convey their subtle and bold messages through materials, medium and metaphor. Read, plan and see all the works at www.desertx.com

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