Desert X faces code violation over Whitewater art exhibit off I-10
Organizers of the outdoor art biennial Desert X were confused on Tuesday after hearing a notice from Riverside County Code Enforcement appeared on one of its installations in Palm Springs.
Artist Matt Johnson's installation "Sleeping Figure" featuring a shape made of shipping containers at Haugen-Lehman Way an Railroad Avenue near Whitewater was declared a "public nuisance." The artwork is visible from the Interstate 10 freeway and has appeared on many social media posts since the exhibition opened on March 3.
Desert X Executive Director Jenny Gil said the organization was "surprised" after working with Riverside County and Principal Planner Ken Baez before opening the exhibition to ensure all installations are compliant with necessary regulations and told "Sleeping Figure" didn't need a special event permit.
"For this type of temporary exhibition and installation, we reach out to the county and ask them what type of permits we'd need, we submit the project with all the details of what it will be, how it will be made, where it will be placed and the dates of the exhibition. The county or whatever city the art installations are come back and let us know if there are any types of permits we need to apply for. It's usually a supportive network."
Felisa Cardona of the Riverside County Transportation Land Management Agency told The Desert Sun the complaint was received on Friday and even though Desert X doesn't need an event permit, the organization needs to obtain a building permit. She refused to provide further explanation as to why Desert X was never notified in the planning stages other than the county is assisting organizers on attaining the proper permit.
Gil confirmed Desert X is in the process of receiving the permit and added Riverside County has been supportive of the organization's efforts since its inaugural exhibition in 2017.
"We are overwhelmed with joy that so many people are able to continue enjoying the exhibitions," Gil said.
Johnson created "Sleeping Giant" to reflect on the effects of supply chain issues over the past two years. Its location along the path to the Port of Los Angeles, between the distribution centers in North Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs, is a meditation on the global economy and the logistics of moving the everyday products we buy.
This year's exhibition features 10 large-scale, and sometimes provocative, installations from Palm Desert to Palm Springs with themes such as a fictitious conspiracy theory, the plight of the Salton Sea and a remembrance of water flowing through the desert.
Desert X runs through May 7 at multiple locations throughout the Coachella Valley, including Sunnylands Center and Gardens, Portola Road in Palm Desert and the James O. Jessie Desert Highland Unity Center in Palm Springs. A complete list of installations and a map is available at desertx.org
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 working with county to fix code violation on installation
