“What new thinking can we incorporate that could continue the vision of inspiring people?” asks Bernard Leibov, co-founder of the Joshua Treenial. That question helped shape this year’s edition of the art event.
In 2015 Leibov, founder and director of BoxoProjects, and KJ Baysa launched the Joshua Treenial to connect the Joshua Tree community with artists from across the region and beyond. “The original intent was to create something that had impact for the entire regional community,” says Leibov. “Over time, it’s become much more theme-driven, inviting artists to explore artworks at a certain scale to really make impact and give strong points of view.”
This year’s theme, Desert Futures, looks ahead while drawing from the desert’s enduring lessons of resilience and reinvention. “The desert has always been this place of adaptation,” Leibov explains. “Animals and plants have shown us how to adapt. And human beings have come to the desert with inspiration and optimism to create something new.”
Photo courtesy boxoprojects
Visitors can expect 12 site-specific installations at BoxoProjects, 62732 Sullivan Road, Joshua Tree, along with performances, workshops, and reading and discussion groups throughout the area at venues including the Integratron and High Desert Test Sites.
Leibov emphasizes the importance of cultural partnerships, which have grown steadily over the past decade. Galleries, institutions, and artists across the desert are now joining the Treenial’s efforts to foster meaningful dialogue and deepen community connections. Together, they’re shaping a creative network that extends beyond the High Desert and into the wider region. He hopes the event sparks reflection and possibility — and “inspires people to think about how they want to be going forward and what part they can play in imagining the future together.”
