Artist: Noah Purifoy
And his Outdoor Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Sculpture in Joshua Tree, CA.
I travel to the desert a lot. And by “the desert” I mean the Mojave Desert, or more specifically, Joshua Tree. I don’t know what it is about this land, but I’m hooked and always on the look-out for a good reason to go back, which luckily for me has been at least a half dozen times over the past couple of years.
This time around, my justification is a week-long, artist-in-residence at A-Z West, but I’ll save those details for another post. Instead, I want to focus on a fascination of mine, Noah Purifoy and his Outdoor Museum in Joshua Tree. Most of the times I come to “the desert” whether alone or with friends, I make a point of visiting this incredible destination full of assemblage art sculptures seemingly haphazardly strewn across the 10 acres of land owned by Purifoy. The raw, vulnerable quality of the work, deeply layered and at times rather chaotic in its representation, is indicative of the surrounding desert landscape. Wild, untamed, exposed, decomposed, yet still full of life and meaning. The longer you look and pay attention, the more you see and feel.
A bit about Noah Purifoy
Noah was born in Snow Hill, Alabama in 1917. He was a high school industrial arts teacher and social worker before becoming an artist. He moved to Los Angeles following his service in the US Navy during WWII and enrolled at Chouinard Art Institute where he earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in 1956. (and a little fun fact to add here, while I was a student at Otis College of Art and Design, I attended classes my Jr. and Sr. year in the original Chouinard Art Institute building across from MacArthur Park)
If you’re aware of the Sam Rodia’s Watts Towers in Los angeles, it’s interesting to note that Purifoy was the founder and first director of the Watts Towers Art Center in the 1960’s and was later appointed to the California Arts Council.
“Credited with re-defining black artistic consciousness through assemblage sculpture, Noah Purifoy is known for the ground-breaking 66 Signs of Neon traveling exhibition he created with six other artists after the Watts Rebellion in Los Angeles in 1965. Created from two tons of debris from the city, their works focused attention on materials and therefore, the political and economic conditions that made them abundantly available.”
In 1989 Noah moved his practice from Los Angeles to Joshua Tree, California where he remained until his death in 2004. During his time there, he managed to create enough work including his large scale assemblage sculptures and installations to fill ten acres of desert land.
To walk among the feral structures, whimsical and dystopian at the same time, is like walking through a dream (and in some cases, a nightmare quite honestly). And yet, even the darker pieces come to light when set against the backdrop of the piercing blue desert sky and unyielding landscape. Here, in the raw elements, you are reminded that this is not a dream but in fact the wildly creative work of a seasoned artist, untethered from tradition, an explorer of materials and space in the very real world. Purifoy’s work with found objects, refuse and junk was in fact inspired by the early twentieth century French artist Marcel Duchamp, a pioneer in the use of used objects as art.
Like so many other artists and architectural destinations I’ve visited on my recent travels, the common theme I’ve come across is a shared desire to create without waste. To use what’s available, whether found, upcycled or reimagined, giving new life and meaning to “trash” by creating new raw materials from waste and refuse, and applying those resources to building materials for dwellings, the creation of tools for living and of course, art. For example, the philosophy of using waste as raw materials is exemplified by the Earthships structures in Taos, New Mexico and the Superadobe buildings at Cal Earth, as well as the essential tools for living found at Andrea Zittel’s A-Z Westworks and the art created by Noah Purifoy, accessible materials for any and all to utilize and create for themselves.
“I hope my work provides inspiration for a person today what they couldn’t do yesterday, no matter what it is. That’s art. That’s the fundamental creative process and it’s something that changes people and empowers them.” Noah Purifoy.
In spite of the nearly 100 degree July heat, I visited the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum twice during this visit to Joshua Tree. Once alone and again with a dear friend who had never been. I’ve seen all of these pieces dozens of times, but truly, every time I go back I see something new. This time, paying close attention to a totem-like sculpture, collaged together with scrap metal and wood, I notice a birds nest tucked in the hallows, abandoned most likely due to the excessive heat. Seeing this gave me pause and made me wonder where else among the scraps and sculptures nature had assimilated to this man-made environment of reclaimed trash and found home.
To visit the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum:
The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art is open to the public every day of the year from sun up until sundown and is free of charge. You are encouraged to sign in at the welcome kiosk near the mailboxes when you visit, and take one of our brochures for a self-guided tour.
To learn more about Noah Purifoy and how to support the foundation go HERE
Sharing this link to another very special art installation in LA that is open until mid October. I'll be taking my mom to this one. She discovered Basquiat on her own - the avid learner she has become since Covid. Here is the link! https://www.todaytix.com/los-angeles/shows/26848-jean-michel-basquiat-king-pleasure-exhibition-la?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaignid=15126718466&utm_adgroupid=147219892683&utm_adid=652823398452&utm_term=basquiat%20show%20la&utm_matchtype=b&utm_campaign=TTG_TTX_g_NorAm_acq_search_shows_LA&utm_adgroup=Attractions_Basquiat_King_Pleasure_All&gclid=EAIaIQobChMInJ2f_YqNgAMVPirUAR1YSw_MEAAYAyAAEgKRufD_BwE
Nicely written Mz.Wanda! Loved learning more about him and, remembering the pure joy of discovering this place w/you and K and Sal! I also am drawn back any time I am in the area..it's magical!