Desert X: Cahuilla artist harnesses his works to educate on Native American history

When Cahuilla artist and Anza resident Gerald Clarke puts out a work of art, he aims to remind non-Native people that Cahuilla tribes called the Coachella Valley home long before the designer retail stores or golf courses.

He's taking that message further through his Desert X 2023 installation "Immersion" located at James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center in Palm Springs. The 100-foot take on a coiled basket features a circular game board with four paths and guests will be provided with a playing card of questions in categories such as global indigenous knowledge, North American knowledge, California indigenous knowledge and one specific to the Cahuilla tribes.

Some examples of the questions are "True or False: There has never been a Native American elected to the office of the Vice President of the United States," "In 2018, Serrano leader James Ramos became the first California Indian to be elected to what state office?" and "What is the name of the Native American organization that led the Occupation of Alcatraz from 1969 to 1971?"

The Cahuilla tribe is recognized for its coiled basketry and many have been displayed in museums. These baskets have also appeared in Clarke's previous works. He used hundreds of crushed soda and beer cans to form the look of traditional versions. One of these giant baskets, "Continuum Basket: Pivat," was exhibited at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

But “Immersion” is the largest basket and art piece Clarke ― an ethnic studies professor at the University of California, Riverside and member of the California Arts Council ― has created in his career.

“It’s right under the flight path of Palm Springs International Airport, and if you were to look down upon it, you will see this basket,” Clarke said.

Desert X has featured Native American art before

Desert X states that part of the outdoor art event's objective is to present public exhibitions of art that answer to the conditions of the desert, its environment and indigenous communities. In 2021, the biennial featured the installation "Never Forget" by Tlingit-Unangax̂ multi-disciplinary artist Nicholas Galanin. The installation echoed the "Hollywood" sign at the base of Mount San Jacinto off Highway 111 near Tramview Road with the words “Indian Land.”

It was popular, and controversial. Agua Caliente tribal member Isabella Dodd said it was confusing to point to the tumultuous history of the word Indian to describe Native Americans, and yet keep "serving it up" to be absorbed by the public and added "Cahuilla Land" would be a more apt phrase.

"The whole point is we are sovereign nations, we aren't just this monolith," Dodd said in 2021. "We all have very different names and cultures. So, you have to be specific. We're not all the same."

Galanin wrote on Instagram that the use of the word "Indian" was intentional, and that the piece "reframes a word of generic reduction to call for collective action."

While discussing the previous installation, Clarke said he "appreciated" Galanin's approach.

“Nick got a hold of me about a year before that, asked me for contacts with the (Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians) and was trying to do his due diligence. Sometimes it's hard though, and people don't necessarily understand contemporary art and what you are trying to do. Native people have been abused for so long and people have been speaking for us for a long time, so that's a tough thing to navigate," Clark said.

Making art more accessible

During the ‘60s and ‘70s the husband-and-wife art duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude began doing site-specific programs ― wrapping the Arc de Triomphe in Paris with silk fabric, hanging an orange curtain across Colorado State Highway 325, running a 25 miles of fabric as a fence across the hills of Sonoma and Marin counties ― changing the art world and making art accessible to everyone outside of a museum setting.

Burning Man and music festivals such as the Coachella valley Music and Arts Festival also have featured large sculptures and site-specific land art.

Clarke, who is also a newly appointed member of the California Arts Council, said he sees the benefits and added that “there was no way I was going to pass up this opportunity for Desert X.”

“I like it when people can encounter art where they least expect it, not in the museum but out in the world. I think there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with doing that as an artist and you have to respect people’s lives and realities. It’s a good thing and it democratizes the art world a bit,” Clarke said. “I’ve been saying for 30 years that the hardest thing for Native American artists is to show your work where your own community will be able to visit it.”

In recent years, there has been a public debate over the use of Native American names and symbols in professional sports. In 2021, the Cleveland Indians became the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Redskins became the Washington Football Team in 2020 and later the Washington Commanders.

Clarke said even though there's a debate over political correctness and Native American representation through TV shows such as "Reservation Dogs" and "Rutherford Falls" and in art institutions around the globe, he's going to "ride that wave while I can" while remaining a bit skeptical.

"Maybe we're the flavor of the month this year, but what about 10 years from now? I remember in 1992 when there were all kinds of Native American art shows because of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus. (Native American artist) James Luna was a good friend of mine and he said 'Call me in '93' I love that spirit because we're in for the long haul."

Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or on Twitter at @bblueskye.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Desert X: Cahuilla artist Gerald Clarke uses art to educate on Native American history