Since its debut in 2017, Desert X has captivated audiences as a treasure hunt, enticing visitors to journey through Greater Palm Springs in search of extraordinary, site-specific art installations. Each piece, crafted by artists from around the globe, interacts harmoniously with the desert landscape while addressing pressing contemporary issues.  

The latest edition, which runs March 8 through May 11, features 11 dynamic projects curated by artistic director Neville Wakefield and co-curator Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas. The installations encourage reflection on the desert’s evolution, inviting visitors to glean wisdom from the land while celebrating its enduring resilience. Here’s how to experience the biennial exhibition of site-specific art unfolding across Greater Palm Springs. 

Desert X 2025: Quick Tips 

The 2025 installations appear in Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, and Thousand Palms. For the best experience, we recommend that you: 

• Download the free app from the Apple or Google Play app store for driving directions and information about the artists, their installations, and public programs. 
• Visit the hub at Thompson Palm Springs (414 N. Palm Canyon Drive) to pick up a free program, receive tips from volunteers, and purchase Desert X merchandise. Hours: Friday, 2–5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 
• Sign up for the newsletter at desertx.org. 
• Engage with knowledgeable docents on Saturdays and Sundays; check desertx.org for locations and hours. 

Let the area’s geography guide your exploration, beginning in DESERT HOT SPRINGS, where you’ll find the works of Jose Dávila, Alison Saar, and Kimsooja: 

Jose Dávila — “The Act of Being Together”  

Worsley Road between Pierson Boulevard and Painted Hills Road, Desert Hot Springs 

Using unaltered marble blocks from a quarry across the U.S.-Mexico border, Guadalajara-based artist Jose Dávila explores themes of presence and absence. His marble formations evoke archaeological relics, prompting reflection on our transient position within vast frameworks of space and time. 

Alison Saar — “Soul Service Station”  

Pierson Boulevard between North Indian Canyon Drive and Desert Terrace Way, Desert Hot Springs  

“Soul Service Station” reimagines a gas station as a space for spiritual replenishment. The Los Angeles-based artist blends personal and cultural narratives inspired by mythology and African diasporic histories. Inside, community-made votives and a life-size female figure coexist with a repurposed gas pump that plays poetry, transforming the space into a sanctuary for healing and hope. 

Kimsooja — “To Breathe – Coachella Valley”  

Pierson Boulevard between Foxdale Drive and Miracle Hill Road, Desert Hot Springs 

South Korean artist Kimsooja’s glass pavilion invites interaction with the desert’s elements: sand, air, and light. Inspired by traditional bottaris — fabric-encased bundles from Korean culture — her creation acts as a “bottari of light,” showcasing the dynamic interplay of illumination within the desert’s natural beauty. 

Next, head south into PALM SPRINGS to see works by Sanford Biggers, Kapwani Kiwanga, and Ronald Rael: 

Sanford Biggers — “Unsui (Mirror)” 

James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center, 480 W. Tramview Road, Palm Springs 

“Unsui (Mirror)” features two towering sequin sculptures that embody freedom and interconnection. Inspired by Buddhist concepts, these over 30-foot-tall sculptures shift with the sunlight and wind, representing hope and resilience amid ongoing reparations efforts by the local Black community. 

Kapwani Kiwanga — “Plotting Rest” 

North of Palm Springs Visitors Center at Tramway Road, Palm Springs 

The pavilion-like structure by Paris- and Berlin-based artist Kapwani Kiwanga reflects midcentury architectural aspirations while questioning themes of shelter and freedom, its lattice roof inspired by “flying geese” quilting motifs from the Underground Railroad. Supported by local palm fronds and imported stones, the sculpture symbolizes the complex legacies of migration and the differing promises of freedom throughout history. 

Ronald Rael — “Adobe Oasis” 

1555 S. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs 

In “Adobe Oasis,” Berkeley-based architect Ronald Rael revives traditional craft techniques by merging them with contemporary technologies. Drawing from Indigenous construction practices, he employs 3-D printing and robotic programming to create inviting structures from mud, promoting sustainable housing alternatives amid the climate crisis. 

The final cluster of artworks is found in RANCHO MIRAGE (Agnes Denes), PALM DESERT (Raphael Hefti and Sarah Meyohas), and THOUSAND PALMS (Muhanned Shono): 

Agnes Denes — “The Living Pyramid” 

Sunnylands Center & Gardens, 37977 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage 

This monumental sculpture reflects the New York-based Hungarian artist’s exploration of the pyramid form, symbolizing a dynamic process. Planted with native vegetation, it evolves over six months, fostering environmental awareness and community engagement through educational programs. 

Raphael Hefti — “Five things you can’t wear on TV” 

Homme-Adams Park, 72500 Thrush Road, Palm Desert 

Swiss artist Raphael Hefti’s work repurposes black polymer fiber designed for fire hoses, creating a taut line suspended between two points that vibrates in the wind like a strummed guitar string. This installation engages viewers by distorting their sense of space and scale while highlighting the interplay of light and movement in the desert landscape. 

Sarah Meyohas — “Truth Arrives in Slanted Beams” 

74184 Portola Road, Palm Desert 

New York artist Sarah Meyohas merges analog and digital technologies to explore the aesthetic potential within science and art. Her installation features “caustics,” light patterns created through refraction. By projecting sunlight onto a ribbon-like structure across the desert floor, she orchestrates interactions that evoke the elusive nature of water, connecting ancient timekeeping with contemporary art. 

Muhanned Shono — “What Remains” 

Avenue 38, Thousand Palms 

Riyadh-based artist Muhanned Shono examines themes of identity, memory, and cultural heritage in his large-scale installations. “What Remains” depicts land without fixed identity, allowing wind to shape the fabric infused with native sand. This dynamic interaction evokes a sense of home that is both transient and elusive, emphasizing the fluidity of the desert environment.

Desert X also features a mobile installation, “G.H.O.S.T. Ride,” by Cannupa Hanska Luger (Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara, and Lakota). This New Mexico-based artist combines visual storytelling with Indigenous perspectives, using materials like clay and textiles to connect with ancestral knowledge. Part of his Future Ancestral Technologies series, the repurposed vehicle camouflaged in reflective vinyl invites viewers to reconsider their relationship with nature and learn from the desert’s enduring wisdom. For current location details, visit desertx.org.