Desert X

Desert X is a site-specific, contemporary art exhibition that is held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California. The inaugural Desert X was held from February 25 to April 30, 2017, and has held subsequent exhibitions every two years. The next planned exhibition is for March 4, 2023. Background Desert X is the exhibition of Desert Biennial, a 501(c) charitable organization founded in 2015. The exhibition is meant to bring attention to the valley's environment through the display of works by emerging artists. Themes include climate change, immigration, tourism, gambling, and Native American culture. 2017 2017 was the inaugural exhibition year of Desert X. The exhibition opened on February 25, 2017 and ran through April 30. Participating artists included Doug Aitken, Lita Albuquerque, Jeffrey Gibson, Sherin Guirguis, Glann Kaino, Richard Prince, Rob Pruitt, Julião Sarmento, Phillip K. Smith III, and Tavares Strachan. Works included a camouflaged house covered in mirrors, an autonomous vehicle known as the "ShyBot" that is programmed to avoid people, as well as an underground bunker with a kitsch sculpture of John F. Kennedy. In February 2017 the robot's creator, an Italian artist known as "Norma Jeane", lost contact with ShyBot. All communication was lost, and some thought the art robot was "bot-napped". In July 2018, an off-roader found ShyBot and through a QR code on the body was able to contact Desert X and facilitate her return.