Everyone’s favorite art treasure hut is back!!!
Desert X is a collection of art installations scattered throughout the desert in the Coachella Valley of California that happens every other year during the spring. All the installations are open to the public and totally free. You just have to find them! Luckily they have a handy-dandy mobile app. The app contains descriptions of the exhibits, info about the artists and a map of where each exhibit is located. You can also stop by the Ace hotel to find a physical map and grab some Desert X merch.
This year, Desert X is happening March 12th - May 16th 2021, so there is still time to book your hotel room, rental home or campsite for your stay. If you want to see all the installations in one day, be prepared for a full day adventure. Don’t forget to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, snacks, and a charging pack for your phone!
Para Pivot (sempiternal clouds)
Artist: Alicia Kwade
A combination of large black frames, glittering marble and negative space made this one of my favorite stops of the day! The piece changes with your perspective providing visual interest at every angle. Located on an empty residential lot, it was a bit of a hike up a winding driveway and be aware: it was incredibly windy at the installation site. So be aware and dress accordingly.
This installation requires tickets, but when I went they were allowing walk-ups as long as there were less than 15 people viewing the exhibit at a time.
Hours: 10am-5pm, gated entrance
Parking: Unpaved roadside parking
Bathroom: None
Accessibility: Around ¼ mile of very steep, uphill driveway and unpaved plateau at the top.
Jackrabbit Homestead
Artist: Kim Stringfellow
A 122-square-foot kit home built on an open patch of land between 2 strip malls. This style of house was very popular in the 1950’s and it is furnished to match the 50’s aesthetic. This is the only installation that incorporates audio to bring the visitor into the experience. On one end of the house there is a speaker that plays a recorded expert from Desert Magazine of a woman recounting her stay in a similar house in the 50’s.
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking: Paved lot in the strip mall
Bathroom: You could potentially use the bathroom of one of the surrounding stores.
Accessibility: The home is about 50 yards from the lot, the ground is fine gravel and relatively even.
The Passenger
Artist: Eduardo Sarabia
A large arrow tip shaped maze, designed to bring the viewer more connected to desert journey stories. The walls are made of petites (palm fibers woven into rugs) giving it a truly “could be any desert at any time” feel. As you walk through the maze, take a few moments to reflect on your own journey.
This installation requires tickets, but when I went they were allowing walk ups as long as there were less than 15 people in the installation at a time.
Hours: 10am - 5pm
Parking: Blocked off street parking
Bathroom: None
Accessibility: It is about 100 yards from the road, the terrain is soft sand and a little difficult to walk on in flimsy sandals.
Women’s Qualities
Artist: Ghana Amer
In the garden of the Sunnylands Center, the artist constructed letter shaped planters and used them to spell out qualities she and others ascribe to women. The words “resilience”, “peace”, “strong” and “beauty” are arranged in a circle and can be enjoyed from inside or outside the circle. There is also a video playing inside the center that has some lovely drone footage of the installation from above so be sure to check that out while you are there.
The Sunnylands Center and Gardens has a very well curated museum-like center and beautifully maintained garden. It is worth scheduling a little extra time to enjoy what it has to offer.
Hours: 8:30am - 4pm Wednesday-Sunday
Parking: Paved lot at the Sunnylands Center and Gardens
Bathroom: In the Sunnylands Center
Accessibility: Well maintained sidewalks throughout
Tamanrasset
Artist: Vivian Suter
A collection of large abstract paintings inspired by the Coachella Valley. While the art in this installation is hanging inside a building, it can only be viewed from the outside. Some times of day are better than others due to the reflections in the windows, I would recommend the afternoon or evening time when the sun is causing such harsh reflections.
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking: Paved lot behind the building
Bathroom: Potentially in one of the surrounds stores
Accessibility: Well maintained sidewalks and ramps.
Because You Know Ultimately We Will Band A Militia
Artist: Xaviera Simmons
Alongside a busy 4 lane road there is a group of billboards. They have been erected to display quotes, facts and ideas with powerful images regarding America’s relationship with Black people. There is not designated parking and it is meant to be viewed from the road. It is worth doing the drive a few times to truly (and safely) take in the message of each billboard.
Hours: 24/7
Parking: None
Bathroom: None
Accessibility: n/a
Never Forget
Artist: Nicholas Galanin
Large letters spelling out “INDIAN LAND” reminiscent of the Hollywood sign that read ‘HOLLYWOODLAND” when it was erected in 1923. The display offers a QR code linking to a GoFundMe started by the artist with the purpose to help indigenous people regain the land taken from them as part of the LandBack movement.
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking: A small paved lot and unpaved overflow parking
Bathroom: In the Visitor's Center
Accessibility: Can be viewed from the parking lot but there is also a gravel walkway to view from other perspectives.
The Wishing Well
Artists: Serge Attukwei Clottey
Two large cubes covered in small squares of yellow plastic. The plastic mainly came from Kufuor gallons used for water transportation in Ghana where the artist is from. While there I noticed pieces of plastic in all shades of yellow and orange, as well as other materials such as a license plate pieces that really give the installation a lot of dimension.
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking: Paved lot
Bathroom: Porta potty
Accessibility: About 50 yards of well maintained grass but can also be viewed from the parking lot.
What Lies Behind the Walls
Artist: Zahrah Alghamdi
What appears to be just a large brown wall from the parking lot is actually a large stack of material, covered in dirt, sand, dye and cement found both in the Coachella Valley and the artist’s home of Saudi Arabia. It created a beautiful striation effect. The artist notes how her home country and Palm Springs share very similar landscape and architecture, so she wanted to bring the two cities together with her installation.
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking: Unpaved parking lot
Bathroom: None
Accessibility: About 200 yards uphill on a maintained but unpaved walkway
Bonus: The North Face X Gucci Pit Stop
In a year when so many of the Desert X pieces focus on social justice issues, this seems like an “out of left field” addition. That being said, it does provide a bit of whimsy and color, more present in Desert X of previous years. I also hear it lights up at night and it looks very neat so check it out around sunset if you have time!
Hours: Sunrise- Sunset
Parking: Street parking
Bathroom: None
Accessibility: Can be viewed from paved sidewalk or about 10 yards of hard packed dirt
FInding Home in My Own Flesh
Artist: Felipe Baeza (not open unit April 9th)
This installation was not open when I visited.
Frequencies
Artist: Oscar Murillo
This installation was not open when I visited
The Art of Taming Horses
Artist: Christopher Myers
This installation was on the map in the app, but not the map on the website. The location of this particular sculpture has been up for debate and it is unclear if it will be on display later in the spring.
Living Smoke
Artist: Judy Chicago
The venue originally proposed for this “smoke sculpture” has pulled out due to unwarranted environmental concerns. The “performance” was planned for April 9th and as of now it is unclear if a new location has been approved.
Cheers,
JetlagLeah
