Noah Purifoy: Joshua Tree Outdoor Museum

This past weekend was all about art. Photographers. Painters. Experienced. Renowned. Wannabes. Admirers. Sculptors. Opening receptions. Potters. Assemblage. Art gallery crawls. We looked at art. We talked about art. We encouraged. And praised. And pondered. And all were inspired....

Friends from San Diego came up and we spent a large part of the morning wandering and wondering around Noah Purifoy's installations of assemblage sculpture at his museum out here in Joshua Tree. He began his assemblage sculptures on the desert floor of Joshua Tree around 1989. I remember visiting this site sometime around then or early 1990s. Yesterday, however, after over 10 years, one can see how the elements of the desert have taken their toll on the works. Still, the statements remain - however one interprets them. Thought-provoking to say the least.

Check out Noah Purifoy's foundation web page for background information on this intriguing artist. Then, check out my interpretation, 10 years after my first visit...





I'm a TV celebrity - in my own mind....



Recognize these? Cafeteria trays. There were hundreds of these arranged in Noah's assemblage sculptures.

"Voting Booth". What you don't see are the three toilets on the flip side. 10-12 years later and the sentiments seem the same...

This one is called "From the Viewpoint of the Little People".....it sits high up, maybe 10-15 feet above the ground.

Bowling ball sculptures. They were quite prolific at this outdoor museum.

All image 2012 ©Diana Shay Diehl / Mojave Light Studio

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