Desert X - 2021

Every year artworks appear in the desert of the Coachella Valley in Southern California as part of DESERT X, the Desert Biennial. The first edition took place in 2017 and in a relatively short period of time Desert X has become a fundamental and powerful part of the artistic conversation in California.

It’s fascinating to ask why site specific work has become such a crowdpleaser, surely it’s more than just wanting a safe destination to visit after being locked down for a year (although that alone is a fair enough reason for success). We think there is more to it than that. There is a deep and urgent need to hold a mirror to our collective humanity. A desire to dig deeper into our journey on this planet so we may understand, move forward and make better decisions. In the case of some of the installations, we simply marvel at the power of the artist to create something of meaning that we haven’t seen before. Each person taking in whatever they want from the work. There is no denying the power of the surrounding landscape that infuses the artwork. The desert refreshes the work and reflects it back in unexpected and relevant ways. If you can, find out for yourself by visiting DESERT X

What Lies Behind the Walls By Zahrah Alghamdi