Advertisement

Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum

Together, all of the pieces in Noah Purifoy's Outdoor Museum come to feel like a village. Among the clusters of structures are pieces that depict a cemetery, with trios of assemblages, above, that give the place an eerie Golgotha vibe.

Together, all of the pieces in Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum come to feel like a village. Among the clusters of structures are pieces that depict a cemetery, with trios of assemblages, above, that give the place an eerie Golgotha vibe.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

In the late 1980s, Noah Purifoy moved to the Mojave Desert -- a move made out of financial necessity, but one that allowed his practice to blossom into large-scale works.

Objects repurposed

The grill of an old Dodge takes on practically robot-like qualities in this untitled assemblage.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

'Aurora Borealis'

The Outdoor Museum features assemblage sculptures, as well as an array of structures, such as this one -- which contains a small theater with a proscenium inside.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Into the horizon

An expansive collage piece takes up dozens of square feet and incorporates bits of wood, metal, industrial equipment and a tower of toilets. Purifoy had an uncanny ability to make the humble toilet into a remarkable sculptural object.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement
A row of legs

Purifoy’s sculptures employ elements of the human body: a wooden hand here, a set of legs there -- for effects that are both comical and grotesque. “From the Point of View of the Little People” shows a row of legs set on a wooden frame.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Bits of radiators

The ways in which Purifoy employed the pre-existing patterns in objects is remarkable. Seen here: a wall-hanging made out of old radiators inside the structure known as the “Gallery.”  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

The views all around

Part of the experience of seeing Purifoy’s work at the Outdoor Museum is the setting: with the howl of the wind and the feel of gravel crunching underfoot.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

'Squatters' Shack'

A shack made from scraps of wood looks as if it could be part of the desert landscape. It was constructed by Purifoy.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Advertisement
'White/Colored'

One of the most moving pieces in Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum is this installation: showing a water fountain and a toilet. A sign reading “white” hangs over the fountain; “colored” hangs over the toilet. They are bound together by a single pipe.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Architecture meets sculpture

Purifoy’s large-scale pieces feel like a fusion of architecture and sculpture. The tribute to Frank Gehry, left, nods to the architect’s use of humble materials. At rear, to the right, is a whimsical piece titled “Sixty-Five Aluminum Trays.”  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

A row of vintage vacuums

Purifoy’s installations employ a wondrous array of detritus, such as this row of old Kirby vacuum cleaners.  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

A delicate balance

A piece called “No Contest” consists of a shack-like structure balancing a pair of bicycles. (At this point in our tour, some crazy rain clouds were moving in and the wind got fierce.)  (Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)

Most Read in This Section

Advertisement