All told, I visited Desert X on three separate occasions. The ability to pack one’s car with a camera, backpack with every conceivable charger, hub, adapter and laptop along with notebook, and an overnight bag is liberating. Everything one needs to explore, capture and create can fit neatly in the trunk or in the passenger seat. There is tremendous freedom in the feeling that an adventure awaits less than two hours outside of Los Angeles. Born and raised in a car-centric city, I find solace in the ability to be alone behind the driver’s seat and embrace the opportunity to truly get lost. Driving on unpaved roads not suited for my sporty coupe, I found myself feeling vulnerable to the terrain. If I need a tow truck, there was likely no chance that cellular reception could not connect me to help fast enough. I don’t know how to change a tire and thankfully I didn’t have to. Nature was in control here- dictating the elements under which I experienced the site-specific works throughout the Coachella Valley and challenged my vehicle’s ability to literally drive on the beaten path. The best way to reflect on Desert X is through a selection of photos capturing the installations and their permanent impressions in my mind’s eye.
