Desert Day 2 Cont'd - "I am" at DesertX

Following a long afternoon nap after our hike and boozy brunch, we raced out at sundown to view one the the contemporary art installations on exhibition for the art event DesertX.  'I am' by Tavares Strachan was vast and impressive. A multitude of cavities in the desert sand were lit by a neon glow. Each cavity was big enough to trip over and some large enough to fall into. It was an incredible sight. Each shape seemed like an abstract form from our vantage point on the ground. From a bird's eye view, it read "I am." 

Here is the artist's statement from the DesertX website:

“I am” is a work that explores the relationship between human beings and their environment. Borrowing from Vedic Philosophy, the phrase “I am” is to identify oneself with the universe and /or ultimate reality. There is a rich history of human beings exploring the desert as place to disconnect and reconnect with questions about who they might be.  As someone born on an island, surrounded by what may be considered beautiful but potentially Hostile Ocean, I personally have understood these vast landscapes as opportunities to re-center and dislocate one’s imagination all at the same time. With the help of a skilled team, I plan to dig 290 craters over 100,000 square feet or the size of two America football fields. Once the holes are mapped and dug into the desert floor, brightly lit neon tubes will align the perimeter of each crater. The viewer will interact with what seems like an abstracted glowing crevasse of light, but if viewed from the sky one will read the exploded phrase “I am.” 

Now if only we had a drone to see the piece from above. Luckily we found some images on social media and online. Check some out here.

That was our fantastic second day in the desert!

Desert Day 2 - Indian Canyon Hiking Trail

Whoops, time has escaped me again! Time for some major catch up on the blogging. Here are some snapshots from our second desert day way back in the spring. On this day, we headed to Indian Canyon Hiking Trail. Luckily I had scored a great deal on a pair of hiking shoes when we popped into an Adidas outlet the day before. You really needed those treads on this dry desert grit.

Loved these hair palm trees. They reminded me of Muppets and just needed a pair of eyes to come alive. Felt like we had company at all times! Maybe it wasn't the anthropomorphic trees and it was the rattlesnakes... My friend covered her vital organs as i tried not to see them and we skedaddled by as quickly as possible!

I loved this hike. The terrain was so different than what we are used to in Southern Ontario, but my friends told me this was nothing... there are much more scenic trails. As I had joined this trip having done no research whatsoever, I just took their word for it and looked forward to our next outing.

We rewarded ourselves post-hike with an amazing long leisurely brunch, delectable cocktails and bottomless mimosas! The best meal we had on this trip!

They were not joking when they said bottomless. Our mimosa glasses were refilled quicker than most restaurants refill water glasses. So good! Needless to say a big afternoon nap was in order!