4.1.19 / Bombay Beach / California

In Photos: Bombay Beach Biennale 2019

Creating vivid installations to revitalize the town

Last week the Bombay Beach Biennale returned for its fourth festival, taking over the Salton Sea with a series of eclectic art installations, performances, film screenings, talks, and much more. Over the course of three days, the Bombay Beach Biennale transforms the nearly abandoned town into a stunning artistic landscape, once known as a popular destination in Southern California. Since then, a series of environmental issues have resulted in a decay of the man-made lake and its surroundings. The Biennale serves to bring attention to the ecological disaster that plagues the town, hoping to eventually revitalize it to its former glory. Both residents and travelers alike attend the festival each year to celebrate the area and bring a jolt of cultural energy to it, with many installations becoming permanent fixtures. Though it’ll be a year before you can attend the next Biennale, we’ve compiled some of the highlights from this year featuring both new and old works—many of which will still be in the town the next time you decide to stop by.