phillip k. smith III's 'circle of land and sky' mirrors abstract views of the california desert

as part of desert X, an outdoor exhibition of art installations and site-specific works currently taking place across the coachella valley, phillip k. smith III has installed a reflective and dynamic sculpture that interacts with its surrounding desert landscape. ‘the circle of land and sky’ defines an immersive space within the vast, arid terrain, forming a circular field of 300 geometric reflectors. each angled at a 10 degree slant, the mirrored installation refracts abstract vies of the landscape’s two most prominent physical characteristics — land and sky.

all photos by lance gerber / courtesy of the artist, royale projects and desert X

located in palm desert, california, phillip k. smith III’s ‘circle of land and sky’ physically and visually engages with the rocky landscape and boundless blue sky above. creating a variety of shifting perspectives throughout the course of a day, the installation reacts to light as it passes over its mirrored surfaces, reflecting different fragments of the environment. as day turns to night, and as viewers meander through the installation, land and sky are divided, displaced, merged and mixed — completely subverting a typical relationship with the desert horizon. never viewed the same way twice, ‘the circle of land and sky’ activates the desert X exhibition and engages with the california landscape like never before.

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