Desert X

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Desert X
GenreContemporary art
Site-specific art
DatesDesert X 2017: February 25 – April 30, 2017
Desert X 2019: February 9 – April 21, 2019
Desert X 2021: March 12 – May 16, 2021
Desert X 2023: March 4 – May 7, 2023 (planned)
Location(s)Coachella Valley, California US[1]
Years active2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 (planned)
Founded bySusan Davis
Attendance650,000 (2021)
Websitedesertx.org

Desert X is a site-specific, contemporary art exhibition that is held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California. The inaugural Desert X was held from February 25 to April 30, 2017, and has held subsequent exhibitions every two years. The next planned exhibition is for March 4, 2023.[2]

Background[]

Desert X is the exhibition of Desert Biennial, a 501(c) charitable organization founded in 2015. The exhibition is meant to bring attention to the valley's environment through the display of works by emerging artists. Themes include climate change, immigration, tourism, gambling, and Native American culture.[3][4][5]

2017[]

2017 was the inaugural exhibition year of Desert X. The exhibition opened on February 25, 2017 and ran through April 30. Participating artists included Doug Aitken, Lita Albuquerque, Jeffrey Gibson, Sherin Guirguis, Glann Kaino, Richard Prince, Rob Pruitt, Julião Sarmento, Phillip K. Smith III, and Tavares Strachan.

Works included a camouflaged house covered in mirrors, an autonomous vehicle known as the "ShyBot" that is programmed to avoid people, as well as an underground bunker with a kitsch sculpture of John F. Kennedy.[6] In February 2017 the robot's creator, an Italian artist known as "Norma Jeane", lost contact with ShyBot. All communication was lost, and some thought the art robot was "bot-napped".[7] In July 2018, an off-roader found ShyBot and through a QR code on the body was able to contact Desert X and facilitate her return.[8]

2019[]

Desert X 2019 opened on February 9, 2019 and ran through April 21. Participating artists included Iván Argote, Nancy Baker Cahill, Cecilia Bengolea, Pia Camil, John Gerrard, Julian Hoeber, Jenny Holzer, Iman Issa, Mary Kelly, Armando Lerma, Eric N. Mack, Cinthia Marcelle, Postcommodity, Cara Romero, Sterling Ruby, Kathleen Ryan, Gary Simmons, Superflex, Chris Taylor & Steve Badgett.[9][10] Neville Wakefield acted as artistic director.[11]

2021[]

Desert X 2021 opened on March 12, 2021 and ran through May 16. The exhibition was curated by artistic director, Neville Wakefield and co-curated by César García-Alvarez. The exhibition explored the concept of the desert being both a place and idea, and featured artworks that acknowledged the realities of people who reside here and the political, social, and cultural contexts that shape their stories. Participating artists for Desert X 2021 included Zahrah Alghamdi, Ghada Amer, Felipe Baeza, Serge Attukwei Clottey, Nicholas Galanin, Alicja Kwade, Oscar Murillo, Christopher Myers, Eduardo Sarabia, Xaviera Simmons, and Vivian Suter.

The exhibition was among the first art experiences in the region since widespread lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic to offer a safe, outdoor experience that was free and open to all. The exhibition had 650,000+ site visits Valley-wide in 9 weeks.[12]

A documentary film, Desert X 2021 – The Film, was produced for KCET's ARTBOUND. Desert X 2021 – The Film took viewers inside the artists’ studios in Accra, Ghana; Berlin, Germany; Guadalajara, Mexico; Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; La Paila, Colombia; London, UK; New York City, USA; Panajachel, Guatemala; and Sitka, Alaska, USA. Through their creations for Desert X, the participating artists explore the current socio-political climate, speaking directly to the Native American Land Back movement, climate change and water rights, histories of feminism and the urgent issues facing Black lives. It is at once a record of the previous tumultuous 18 months through the eyes and voices of some of the most well-known artists and a timely piece that poses urgent questions about the past while imagining the possibilities of a shared future.

Select artists[]

Gallery[]

  • Hollow Earth by Glenn Kaino is an illuminated, glass-covered hole that creates the illusion of a tunnel descending deep into the Earth

  • A spectator having fun at Curves and Zigzags by Claudia Comte

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Google (23 April 2017). "Desert X" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  2. ^ Blueskye, Brian. "Fourth exhibition of art biennial Desert X announced for spring 2023". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  3. ^ Anna Rumer (2017-02-25). "Massive Desert X art exhibit debuts in Palm Springs area". Desertsun.com. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  4. ^ Christopher Knight (2017-03-09). "International art invades the suburban Coachella Valley: The best of 'Desert X'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  5. ^ "How Desert X concept of making art accessible became a reality". desertsun.com. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  6. ^ Jori Finkel (2017-02-24). "'Desert X' Treats Arid Space as a Rich Canvas". newyorktimes.com. Retrieved 2017-04-23.
  7. ^ Jori Finkel (2017-03-17). "Things Go Awry at 'Desert X,' as Shy Bot Disappears". newyorktimes.com. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
  8. ^ Jori Finkel (2018-07-25). "After a year-long journey in the California desert, Desert X's art rover Shybot is found". The Art Newspaper. Retrieved 2018-08-01.
  9. ^ Damien, Christopher; Wyloge, Evan; Scharkey, Kristin (March 13, 2019). "Desert X installation 'Halter' disappears; sheriff investigating as vandalism". Palm Springs Desert Sun. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
  10. ^ Harris, Gareth (March 14, 2019). "Desert X – where the dry land blooms with art". Financial Times. Retrieved 2019-03-15.
  11. ^ https://www.desertx.org/about-us[dead link]
  12. ^ Blueskye, Brian. "Fourth exhibition of art biennial Desert X announced for spring 2023". The Desert Sun. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
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