Top 5 DesertX Art Installations in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a desert oasis very popular with retirees, golfers, and SoCal residents who want a close getaway to warm them during the cold winter months. Since 2017, artists with the non-profit group Desert X have been creating outdoor art exhibitions for the public to enjoy while utilizing the desert landscape. According to the Desert X website, Desert X was, "Conceived to produce recurring international contemporary art exhibitions that activate desert locations through site-specific installations by acclaimed international artists." A few weeks ago, my husband and I visited Palm Springs to experience all eleven art installations. They are free to visit, though online some required a reservation we didn't have any issue with being turned away without a ticket. This exhibition started on March 12, 2021 and will go through May 16, 2021, so plan your trip accordingly. Though we visited every exhibit, here are the top five most impressive pieces of art you shouldn't miss if you're in the area.

Stop 1: The Passenger, Eduardo Sarabia

Our first stop was The Passenger, a small maze in a sand lot built from wood and walls of petates--"traditional rugs woven from palm fibers" built by artist Eduardo Sarabia. This was the only exhibit we got tickets for, which ended up being useless as they weren't needed. In the center of the maze were large wooden steps at each corner, perfect for pictures. The location was great for people of all ages and abilities as you only had to walk out onto a flat field of sand. Sarabia meant for this piece to, "Speak to the challenges and aspirations that encourage journeys and pays tribute to the people who have embarked upon them."

Stop 2: ParaPivot (sempiternal clouds), Alicja Kwade

The walk up to ParaPivot was in one word, awful. Tickets were only check at the bottom of this mountain, and on the website it even warns of the steep 15 minute walk to the exhibit. It didn't help that I was wearing strappy platform sandals, a shorter dress and walking through harsh wind. However, once at the top of this hill the art was hard to miss and it was a breathtaking view. Polish artist Alicja Kwade notes on the Desert X website that the piece is, "Dense with meaning" and it really was beautiful to walk through it. The giant white rocks are so delicately balanced on the black steel beams, and the background of the snowcapped San Gorgonio Mountain makes the journey worth it.

Stop 3: Never Forget, Nicholas Galanin

I was the most excited to see this exhibition because I had seen it all over social media and also appreciated the meaning behind it. Artist Nicholas Galanin wanted to reference the HOLLYWOOD sign in Los Angeles but make it a shocking statement meant to show support to the people who originally inhabited the Palm Springs land. Though it is heavily guarded with security by the letters (no, you can't climb it) you can still get pretty close to it and take amazing pictures. I would recommend arriving at sunrise or sunset to get optimal lighting and to beat the heat. We arrived in the late afternoon and walking through the dirt and brush in the 90 degree heat was a struggle.

Stop 4:What Lies Behind the Walls, Zahrah Alghamdi

A common theme with a few of the DesertX installations was that it required a bit of a walk in the desert landscape. What Lies Behind the Walls was no exception. After parking in a rocky dirt parking lot that left me uneasy, we walked for about 10 minutes to a massive rectangle that looked like piled shirts to me from afar. According to the artist's description, the material "Takes the form of a monolithic wall comprised of stacked forms impregnated with cements, soils, and dyes specific to each region. It expresses a highly individualized language corresponding to feelings, emotions, and memories associated with place and time." This was a very complex and intriguing piece to look at up close and I appreciated Alghamdi's vision.

Stop 5: The North Face x Gucci Pit Stop

A "premier sponsor" of DesertX 2021, Gucci and The North Face collaborated on a piece so strange and commercialized, yet was deemed a pit stop for the exhibition. The art was created in celebration of their new collaboration on outerwear and accessories and meant to promote the, "shared spirit of exploration." This pit stop is near the entrance to the Cactus and Cloud trailhead, if you are up for a 19 mile hike and is fairly close to downtown Palm Springs. My husband and I felt this installation was so odd that it deserved to be a must-see for anyone going to DesertX.

I found all of my information about the exhibit and online tickets at https://desertx.org/

*It is important to note that Palm Springs requires everyone to wear a mask in public, we abided by these rules unless people were not around and just for a quick picture. Enjoy!