California Desert Art: Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum

While near Joshua Tree, California – I made a pitstop at the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Museum.

When I pulled up in the early morning, the light coming east across the desert was glorious. It bathed everything in a golden glow. To the west, menacing clouds gathered. And me? I stood nearly in the middle amongst a silent collection of curious assemblages.

Throughout my trip, I wondered many times if weird people gravitated to the desert or if the desert made people a little weird. Either way, I really enjoyed taking in something so far removed from my reality. I am always interested in peoples drive to create art.

Who hasn’t been here on a raucous Friday night, really:

Lunch tray tapeworm

Social commentary and an angry sky.

Streetlamps? Giant Q-Tips?

Cafe Tetanus

Some of the pieces felt a little murdery and creeped me out. I suppose work that makes you feel something is a success.

Good luck… toilet… horseshoe?

I build one of these yearly when we put our lawn furniture in the shed for the winter.

Sad lamp is sad.

Another space that made me feel like someone might’ve died.

So many toilets.

Love the boots 🙂

 

 

 

 

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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4 Responses

  1. Mike says:

    Now we know where Jimmy Hoffa REALLY ended up! Who would have guessed? I think he’s buried under the Q-Tips. 🙂

    What a trip both literally and figuratively!

  2. Border Planet says:

    As Liz Lemon once said, “I want to go to there.”

    I’ve lived in the Southwest for quite some time and I’ve never heard of the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum. I love the photo of the angry sky and I think the lamp is just drunk. Isn’t that a keg at it’s base?

    As for you comment on desert people, weirdness, and art…I resemble that remark.

    Wikipedia says ~ “The Los Angeles County Museum of Art−LACMA will be temporarily relocating some of his works to the museum for the show Noah Purifoy: Junk Dada (June 2015 – February 2016).”

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      I think the lamp is just drunk

      that struck me as so funny. it’s like a metaphor for… something 😀

      Though i don’t like the heat, i find the desert fascinating. it really spoke to me. so what’s your take – does it call to weirdos? 🙂

  3. curvyroads says:

    Fascinating! I think the Q-tips might have been upside down urinals? Following the toiletty theme? I echo Liz Lemon…

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