Desert X is where art and the environment unite. For several years, the exhibition has taken place in the Coachella Valley, showcasing work by artists from around the world. The inaugural Desert X was held in 2017, featuring 16 artists with installations spanning from Whitewater to Coachella. Artists gathered to present their work while honoring the Cahuilla people as the original stewards of the land.
Desert X collaborates with Indigenous people of the Coachella Valley and pays respect to the Cahuilla—past, present and emerging. In 2020, Desert X joined the Ennials Alliance, a network representing more than 30 peer organizations across the United States and Canada. That same year, the exhibition expanded internationally with the launch of Desert X AlUla in Saudi Arabia. Set against the backdrop of the Saudi desert, the initiative marked a major milestone, bringing contemporary art to the region’s vast dunes and rugged terrain—an extraordinary canvas for bold, site-specific installations.
The 2025 edition continued the tradition, featuring 11 installations by acclaimed artists from around the globe. This year’s theme explored Indigenous futurism, the urgent need to address climate change, and the evolving relationship between humanity and technology. Each piece was thoughtfully crafted to resonate with the desert landscape, highlighting both its striking beauty and its environmental challenges.
This year’s Desert X exhibition featured a diverse lineup of artists and installations across the Coachella Valley. Agnes Denes presented “The Living Pyramid“, while Sanford Biggers showcased “Unsui (Mirror).” Jose Dávila contributed “The Act of Being Together,” and Cannupa Hanska Luger offered “G.H.O.S.T. Ride (Generative Habitation Operating System Technology).” Raphael Hefti displayed “Five Things You Can’t Wear on TV,” and Kimsooja introduced “To Breathe – Coachella Valley.” Kapwani Kiwanga’s work, “Plotting Rest,” stood alongside Sarah Meyohas’ “Truth Arrives in Slanted Beams.” Ronald Rael’s “Adobe Oasis,” Alison Saar’s “Soul Service Station,” and Muhannad Shono’s “What Remains” completed the lineup, each installation engaging with themes of environment, identity, and innovation.
Visitors encountered everything from a towering “The Living Pyramid” with native plants to a reflective piece by Kim Sooja named “To Breathe – Coachella Valley.” Whether it was Alison Saar’s poetic “Soul Station” or Jose Dávila’s, “The Act of Being Together,” each piece was rooted in the geography and history of the Coachella Valley.
Desert X leaves a mark deeper than sand. Its installations, though temporary, create a lasting impact. By blending art with the environment, Desert X continues to redefine how and where we engage with creativity. Until the next edition, the desert remains quiet once more—waiting, watching and ready to inspire again.
