THE JOSHUA TREE FISH HOUSE
There used to be this abandoned homesteader cabin in our neighborhood that I would always eye because I loved how just the shell was left, and the deterioration of paint layers gave the feeling of moments in history layered on top of each other, fading like memories from another time.
One day, we were driving by and noticed that the house had been covered by gorgeous, stark images of the iconic fish skeletons from the Salton Sea. Hence, we started to call it The Fish House.
While I'm always timid to step on property where the ownership is unknown, curiosity got the better of us with this place, and we soon found ourselves exploring the interior of the house, as well as the sides and back. Black and white landscapes of Joshua Tree and bones of animals plastered the walls, and at the very top (I forgot to take a photo but I did share it on Instastories a few days ago), there was an artist manifesto scribbled across raw wood on the open frame.
I'll probably botch this a bit, but the general concept was that this piece was about climate change and the fact that we are far closer to extinction than we believe, (ie the point of no return) - using what happened at the Salton Sea (and is continuing to happen) and imagery from it to emphasize the urgency of our situation. Because while stunningly beautiful, much of the images displayed were of decay and desolation. Considering what just happened with The Paris Agreement, I don't think this piece could have come at a better time. There's nothing quite like images to truly get the point across. Most of my favorite artists have used stark, foreboding imagery, sound, and motion to get their points through to the desensitized fog where our culture tends to dwell.
So while I don't know who created this installation, I just want to say thank you for adding something so special to our neighborhood, and I hope more people get to experience it...
Also, in light of The Paris Agreement, here's a link for resources as to what you can do to fight climate change on a local level.
xx,
Tienlyn
Photos by Nikko DeTranquilli
