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A ‘weird dream’ of an arts festival began 10 years ago in the California desert
The Bombay Beach Biennale started as an intimate event and has grown dramatically – but some question whether it sustain its DIY atmosphere
TL;DR
- The Bombay Beach Biennale is a unique outdoor art festival held in a small, impoverished desert town in California.
- Founded a decade ago, the festival has grown from a small gathering to attracting 150 artists and thousands of attendees.
- The event is characterized by a DIY, analog, and bohemian atmosphere, with attendees camping and avoiding commercial influences.
- Despite its success, there are concerns about the festival's growth leading to overcrowding and a potential loss of its original anti-establishment roots.
- Organizers are contemplating changes to manage the event's scale, prevent negative impacts on the local community, and return to a more intimate environment.
- The festival aims to bring arts and culture to local residents, but overcrowding has sometimes excluded them.
- The Biennale often features philosophical themes with apocalyptic undertones, reflecting the setting of Bombay Beach.