Public Art Documentary Film Series: Iconicity

Palm Desert’s Art Documentary Film Series returns for its 14th year in 2022 with a fresh lineup of compelling films designed for lovers of inspiring and thought-provoking cinema. The free, art-themed documentary series begins Wednesday, February 16 at 6 p.m. and kicks off with a screening of Iconicity, a road trip across through the Southern California deserts and the artist communities that thrive here. Drawn to create in the arid lands of the desert, this is the story of artists devoted to radical individualism. The film looks at work as diverse as Leonard Knight’s Salvation Mountain in Slab City and Ricardo Breceda’s oversized metal sculptures in Borrego Springs to the contemporary installations by Desert X.

A brief Q&A will follow, with Deborah Schwartz Glickman from the City of Palm Desert in conversation with director Leo Zahn.

The 2022 film series is presented by the City of Palm Desert Public Art Department and the University of California, Riverside Palm Desert Center. Iconicity is an in-person event that will be held outdoors at UCR Palm Desert, 75080 Frank Sinatra Drive, due to current public health concerns. Seating will be provided, but attendees may feel free to bring camp chairs or blankets for their own comfort. Film-goers are also encouraged to bring their own snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. It is hoped that upcoming films scheduled for Wednesday, March 16 and Wednesday, April 20 will screen inside the UCR auditorium.

All in-person events at UCR Palm Desert are subject to change based on COVID-19 protocols set forth by UC Riverside campus leadership. Audience members must wear a mask at all times around other people and maintain social distancing. Audience members must also fill out an online Wellness Survey prior to coming to the venue: visitorwellnesscheck.ucr.edu

For more information and reservations, please call 760-834-0800 or register online at palmdesert.ucr.edu.