The art of Coachella might not be what initially draws people to the dusty desert festival, but, judging from the number of photos posted to Instagram, it is a popular part of the event. The always-photogenic sculptures and installations are fleeting—only a handful return for another year. But that kind of makes them cooler, right?
This year’s installations are bigger than ever before, the festival’s art overseer, Suzanne Wu, told Curbed. From sculptures of giant mysterious animals to the whimsical “garden” of candy-colored sculptures, it’s clear from the social media posts coming out of the festival after the first weekend that this year’s art pieces are a big hit.
We’ve picked out a couple of photos for four of the pieces making their debut this year, so if you’ve got tickets to the second weekend, you can plan your photos in advance.
“Chiaozza Garden” by Chiaozza
A Brooklyn-based artist duo built these towering, stucco-covered sculpture pieces, which are painted with a palette inspired by the “atmosphere of the desert.” The garden is made up of more than 30 fanciful “plants.”
“Crown Ether” by Olalekan Jeyifous
A Brookyln-based artist and Cornell-trained architect created this piece. It resembles a house or a cluster of houses rising off of a series of supports that look like tree trunks—“a visual pun on a treehouse.”
“Lamp Beside the Golden Door” by Gustavo Prado
This “lighthouse” is made up of thousands of rounded mirrors arranged to collect and reflect light from all around, not just from one direction.
The Brazilian-born artist who created it gives this piece a title that comes from “the last line of the Emma Lazarus poem inscribed at the the Statue of Liberty.”
“Is This What Brings Things Into Focus?” by Joanne Tatham and Tom O’Sullivan
This six-story-tall, animal-like objects in this colorful herd may or may not be wearing party hats. Festivalgoers are probably eternally grateful to the two UK-based artists behind the massive creatures, as the structures probably provide reliable shade from that strong desert sun.
- Coachella Art Guidebook [Official site]
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