Called “one of California’s great art historical wonders,” the Noah Purifoy Desert Museum of Assemblage Art rises from the desert floor on ten ‘otherworldly’ acres of large-scale sculptures constructed entirely from junked materials. Reporter Mike Lipsitz has more on this Joshua Tree treasure and the late master who created it…
The late Noah Purifoy earned national recognition for his body of sculpture constructed out of charred debris from the 1965 Watts rebellion. The artist/educator worked almost exclusively with found objects and used his art as a tool for social change. The last 15 years of his life were dedicated to the Joshua Tree site where his outdoor assemblage works compete with the natural elements for their very survival. Located at 63030 Blair Lane in North Joshua Tree, the Noah Purifoy Desert Museum of Assemblage Art is open to the public free of charge every day of the year from sun up until sundown. Visitors are asked to sign in at the welcome kiosk near the mailboxes, and take a brochure for a self-guided tour. More information is available below and at noahpurifoy.com.
The mission of the Noah Purifoy Foundation is to preserve and maintain the art site developed by Noah Purifoy in Joshua Tree as an Outdoor Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Sculpture. The grounds are a museum; the Noah Purifoy Foundation holds the copyright on all artworks on the premises. The artwork should be treated and viewed the same as one would at an indoor museum. No handling, climbing, moving or removing any objects, or defacing the site in any way. Parties who wish to professionally film or photograph at the Museum must receive permission from the Foundation. As a rule the Foundation does not allow music videos, weddings, dance, or performance video shoots at the Museum. Drones used for any reason are not allowed on site. The Museum will not close to the public during film shoots. There are no restroom facilities available on site. Upon departure the Museum must be clean and left in the same condition as it was prior to the shoot.
