Though well known as an oasis of modernism for the better
part of the last century, Greater
Palm Springs has cultural roots that go far deeper than the venerable
Neutra, Frey and Kocher. As some of the recently unearthed artifacts on display
at the Agua
Caliente Cultural Museum can attest, this region has been a fertile place
for culture to blossom since time immemorial.
Of course, design is only one branch of the arts to flourish
in this palm-shaded, spring-fed region. Whether as a filming location for
countless movies or a refuge for their stars, the Coachella Valley has often
felt like an extension of Hollywood, especially during the Palm Springs International Film Festival
in January. Movie stars and iconic musicians began flocking here from Los
Angeles starting in the 1930s – including Marilyn Monroe (immortalized in the
towering “Forever
Marilyn” sculpture), the Rat Pack, Elvis, Dinah Shore and more.
That artistic heritage has only continued to grow with a new
generation of community-supported creatives. Indeed, there are so many ways to
celebrate the local arts scene, they make for a culture traveler’s dream tour. Here
are some of our favorite arts experiences in Greater Palm Springs:
Where to see art
In a unique mashup, ancient and modernist wonders sit side-by-side
throughout the Greater Palm Springs’ nine cities. To understand the sheer scope
of local creativity, start at the beginning, or as close as archeology will
allow. The recently opened Agua Caliente Cultural Museum – created and run by
the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians – houses ancestral works that were
discovered during the museum’s excavation process, which also included the tribe’s
adjacent Spa at Sėc-he (built at a sacred hot mineral spring).
Among the pottery and other artifacts are manos and metates
that date back approximately 8,000 years. To delve deeper into the local
history and some of its most fascinating characters, head to Cabot’s
Pueblo Museum and the Coachella Valley
History Museum.
When you’re ready to move on to modernism, head for the excellent
Palm
Springs Art Museum. There, you’ll find the newly installed all-metal 1931 Aluminaire House, heralded
by the Architectural Record as one of the most important buildings of the last
125 years. Taking in Albert Frey and A. Lawrence Kocher’s gleaming design
against the mountains and impossibly blue sky, you’ll start to get an
appreciation for how beautifully the architects’ creations pair with the local
environment.
To see more of their legacy, tour Frey’s own house – the
mountainside Frey House II,
also owned by the museum – and the Kocher-Samson
Building, considered Palm Springs’ first modernist international-style
building and recently converted into a rentable vacation stay.
Can’t-miss examples of historic modernist architecture fill Greater
Palm Springs: Sunnylands
is a 1963 commission by Ambassador Walter Annenberg and his wife, who
hosted countless luminaries on the 200-acre estate. It’s now a museum. Elvis’s
Honeymoon Hideaway, the so-called House of Tomorrow, was where the King and
Priscilla retreated in 1967. Kaufmann
House is Richard Neutra’s 1946 steel, glass and stone masterpiece,
immortalized in Slim Aarons’ famous “Poolside Gossip” photo. And of course, Frank
Sinatra’s home, Twin
Palms, was designed by E. Stewart Williams, who spared no luxury in
creating the 1947 behemoth (see: the piano-shaped swimming pool).
You can see and tour many homes on your own, but your best
bet is to take one of the excellent guided architecture tours. For several
options, go to visitgreaterpalmsprings.com.
Public art
The aforementioned “Forever Marilyn”
– Seward Johnson’s interpretation of the wind-up-the-dress moment from the
filming of “The Seven Year Itch” – is one of the most recognizable works
of art in Greater Palm Springs. But the 26-foot-tall sculpture is just the
beginning of the arresting examples you’ll find throughout the nine cities in
the region.
Whether you take a self-guided tour or book a guide, there
are many pieces of public art you shouldn’t miss – for starters, “Anonymous
Farm Worker,” a mural created by el Mac for the Coachella Walls project a
decade ago to help call attention to the largely forgotten, underserviced
agricultural laborers in the area. Other must-see murals include Nate
Frizzell’s “Bird
Song” in La Quinta, and Nicole Ponsler’s hummingbird-themed “Rebirth”
mural in Indio.
If public sculpture is more your speed, the water in Jennifer
Johnson’s “Fountain
of Life” is a whimsical installation located in Cathedral City. “Poly
Parfait,” is a set of abstract, environmentally-themed totem poles by E.
Tyler Burton in the Palm
Desert Civic Center Park. “Rainmaker,”
is a towering fountain by David Morris in Palm Springs’ Uptown
Design District. And across the region, installations from the Coachella
festival have become permanent additions to the local landscape.
Perhaps the most iconic is “Sarbalé
Ke” by Francis Kéré in Indio’s Dr.
Carreon Park, where you’ll find these nine abstract interpretations of West
African baobab trees.
Can’t-miss art events
For serious fans of modernism, thousands of whom flock to
Greater Palm Springs every year, Modernism
Week is the high point of the year. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in February
2025, it includes more than 350 tours, exhibitions, talks, and parties, all in
celebration of the innovation and cultural impact of modernist architecture.
Next up on the calendar is La Quinta Art Celebration, in
late February and early March, when jury-selected, world-class artists from
around the globe exhibit their work at the La
Quinta Civic Center and you’ll also find a daily lineup of live music.
Immediately after that comes the fabled Desert X
in mid-March, an international art biennial featuring outdoor, site-specific
installations throughout Greater Palm Springs. The 2025 theme is nonlinear
narratives of time, “where ancestral wisdom intertwines and collides with
contemporary visions for our collective future.”
In April, the region will play host to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
And though the musical aspect needs no
introduction, you may not realize just how much art is involved in the
second part of the festival’s name. Take in the large-scale, eye-popping
installations that the festival’s curators have traveled the world to
commission.
In November, the Rancho
Mirage Festival of the Arts places a premium on experimentation and
craftsmanship in selecting the works on display at the Rancho
Mirage Community Park and Amphitheater, where there are also art-making
demos and live music.
Take some art home, or make some yourself
Even if you don’t travel to the area for the big annual art
festivals, you’ll still find plenty of among the local
galleries. Start with Palm Desert’s El Paseo art galleries for works in
metal, blown glass and more. Another great gallery cluster: the Backstreet Art
District, where ceramics, jewelry and lithography are just the start. One of
the most iconic stops in Palm Springs’ Uptown Design District is the Shag
Store, home of the instantly recognizable SoCal-colored illustrations by Josh
Agle, aka Shag.
If all of this artwork inspires you to create your own, a
number of local galleries double as studios with classes, such as the
somewhat psychedelic Superbloom, where you can sign up for a 90-minute Paint
with Meaning Session. At the multimedia Desert Art Center, you can take classes
in everything from printing to beeswax art. Try your hand at the potter’s wheel
or a glass art class at the Old Town Artisan Studios. And at the end of the
day, pair your own creations with a glass of wine at Pinot’s Palette – and
toast an art vacation well spent.