Desert X

Desert X is produced by The Desert Biennial, a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in California, conceived to produce recurring international contemporary art exhibitions that activate desert locations through site-specific installations by acclaimed international artists. Its guiding purposes and principles include presenting public exhibitions of art that respond meaningfully to the conditions of desert locations, the environment and Indigenous communities; promoting cultural exchange and education programs that foster dialogue and understanding among cultures and communities about shared artistic, historical, and societal issues; and providing an accessible platform for artists from around the world to address ecological, cultural, spiritual, and other existential themes.

Mission

To create and present international contemporary art exhibitions that engage with desert environments through site-specific installations by acclaimed artists from around the world.

History

The history of Desert X is short but mighty. It is an organization founded on the love of contemporary art and its ability to create cross-cultural dialogue while simultaneously engaging audiences and artists who find the walls of museums and galleries somewhat stifling. Its mission has always been ambitious, seeking to present curated exhibitions of site-specific work by international artists who can amplify the beauty of the desert environment, while also creating a visual response to issues of vast importance to today’s global citizenry.

From its beginning, the organization has called on all its audiences to be brave, engage their sense of adventure, and open their hearts as they seek the various art installations, paying attention not only to their physicality but also to the stories they tell emotionally, historically, or socially.

The first Desert X took place in 2017 and included 16 artists who created works for locations from Whitewater Preserve to Coachella. The exhibition and each of the artists received grand acclaim. Since then, a total of 4 biennial exhibitions have taken place in the Coachella Valley, welcoming an audience of over 1.7M. Since 2020, the organization has engaged in exhibitions outside the United States and helped establish the Desert X AlUla exhibition, in the desert of Saudi Arabia bringing together artists from across that region as well as those from Europe and the U.S.

Acknowledgment of Native Land

We acknowledge the Cahuilla People as the original stewards of the land on which Desert X takes place. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work with the Indigenous people in this place. We pay our respect to the Cahuilla People, past, present and emerging, who have been here since time immemorial.

Ennials Alliance

Since 2020 Desert X has been a member of a consortium of North American bi/triennials that now calls itself the Ennials Alliance.

CCAR Beneficiary

Desert X is an approved beneficiary of the Council for Canadian American Relations (CCAR), a 501(c)(3) public charity in the U.S. that is a “qualified donee” under the Income Tax Act (Canada). For information about CCAR please visit ccar-nyc.org or contact info@ccarnyc.org.