Organizers of the Coachella Valley art exhibition Desert X Tuesday announced the unveiling of artist and philosopher Agnes Denes’ new environmental sculpture, “The Living Pyramid.”
Denes’ work will be part of the fifth iteration of Desert X, which will occur between March 8 and May 11, although the pyramid is now on display at Sunnylands Center & Gardens before the event starts.
“The Living Pyramid is the most iconic and recurring expression of the pioneer of environmental art Agnes Denes’ commitment to the creation of works that speak in equal parts to the ancient structures of architecture and knowledge that shape our world view, and the endless cycles of life and death that are the transformative powers of nature,” Neville Wakefield, Desert X’s artistic director, said in a statement.
Born in Budapest in 1931, Denes lived in New York since the 1950s, establishing herself on the international concept art stage in the following two decades. She describes her artistic process as ever-evolving, recognizing that concepts are always subject to change.
“The Living Pyramid” is similarly changing, featuring native vegetation that will transform over the plants’ growth cycles across a six-month stretch. Denes describes the pyramids in her work as stand-ins for social structures “in the form of visual philosophy conveying ecological, social and cultural issues.”
In this way, the tiers of the pyramid become “a social construct that cultivates a micro-society of people responsible for its construction, planting, and ongoing care,” according to organizers.
Co-curated by Wakefield and Kaitlin Garcia-Maestas, Desert X will be free for attendees. Visitors can find pictures of the structure and more information on the exhibition at desertx.org.
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