Desert X is a free art exhibit located in the Coachella Valley in southern California. They are only here for a limited time from March 12 through May 16, 2021 so make sure to visit soon! We actually heard about them in 2019 when they had the Mirror House exhibit but unfortunately was not able to attend.
Each year, their art exhibits change so if you see something that catches your eye, go now!
Brea and I decided to go visit Desert X because some of the exhibits looked interested and she wanted to try out her new DJI FPV drone. She wanted clear open space and what better place than the desert?
Contents
Getting There
The best way to navigate to and around the Desert X exhibits is by downloading the app. On the app, you’ll see all the exhibits and you can read more about them as well.
Each pink X represents a different exhibit 
Click on the X to see the name 
Click on the i to read more about it and get directions
One thing to keep in mind is that on the app, everything looks close to each other but in reality, some can be pretty far. Going from one exhibit to another can take up to 30 minutes driving so plan accordingly.
ParaPivot (sempiternal clouds)
This exhibit is created by Alicja Kwade and consists of interlocking frames that support large blocks meant to be clouds. It will draw you in!
This was the first exhibit we drove to directly from Los Angeles (about a 2-3 hour drive depending on the day and time you leave). When you arrive, there is a small parking lot at the entrance of the exhibit.
ParaPivot is one of the installations where they recommend you get timed tickets ahead of time (it was sold out so we weren’t able to). However, the staff that was there said it wasn’t busy so we could just go up. This is also the only installation where you had to hike uphill haha. We were not prepared at all. But don’t worry, the hike was only about 5 to 10 minutes and its paved the whole way.
At the top, you’ll get a grandeur view of the mountains through the ‘clouds’. The day that we went was very windy though so we didn’t stay long at all but did manage to get some nice shots.
What Lies Behind the Walls
From ParaPivot to this next installation was about a 15 minute drive. It was more crowded here but plenty of parking. The walk to the wall took about 10 minutes and it was a hot day too!
What Lies Behind the Walls, by Zahrah Alghamdi, aims to show that material and memory are intertwined. Each layer of the wall represents a different culture.
The Passenger
After our lunch break at the nearby In-N-Out, we stopped by at The Passenger (created by Eduward Sarabia). This art installation is an interactive one and was also one of the ones that recommended a timed ticket. There was a small line for people to go through the maze.
The entrance to the maze
Brea and I opted out and instead, she flew her drone over the exhibit to get a better view.
Never Forget – Indian Land
The last installation we visited was called Never Forget by Nicholas Galanin. The “Indian Land” letters reference the letters in the Hollywood sign. You can already see it from your car on the drive there.
The words and what they represent stand out contrast against the mountain-side as people gaze on.
There were several other art installations that we didn’t get a chance to visit. We can’t wait to see what exhibits they bring back next time!
