Painted Canyons
Light, art and ceremony inside the desert of California.
Over the past few years, I’ve been traveling, presenting my artistic work around the world, jumping from one project to the next. There was never really time — or the right space — to reflect and share these experiences with the calm they deserve.
Last year, I bought a digital camera Fuji X100VI to document my travels. A point-and-shoot camera with manual controls and visuals that resemble analog film. It’s compact enough to carry everywhere. Since then, I’ve been capturing moments along the way. And I started noticing how many beautiful moments were caught — then forgotten, stored away on a hard drive, waiting for a place to live.
Social media pushed us into a culture of short videos and instant content. It reminds me of TV channel surfing: an endless stream of images with very little attention. I kept wondering: where should I share these photographs? Instagram doesn’t feel right anymore — too much noise, not enough space.
So I decided to try this space here. A place where words, images, and thoughts can breathe. I want to document journeys, processes, encounters, and adventures — with the attention and care they deserve.
The First Visit
This year was my third time attending Mars College — a mix of community art residency, AI research lab, and experimental living space focused on exploring low-cost, high-tech lifestyles. For three months, artists, researchers, and curious minds gather in the Southern California desert to build an off-grid campus with their own hands.
At Mars, everyone is both student and teacher. There’s an open calendar where anyone can host events — classes, workshops, study groups, rituals, gatherings. The programming is intense, unpredictable, and beautifully collaborative.
In 2024, we took a field trip to Painted Canyons, a place known for its stunning geology and sacred significance to the Cahuilla people. It’s located about 40 minutes by car from Bombay Beach, where Mars College takes place.
This first visit was organized by Czar (one of the Martians), and together with Marzipan, we came up with the idea to organize a projection event in that sacred place.
The Second Visit
A few days later, we returned with a small group at sunset — carrying a laptop, iPad, battery, camera, tripod, and projector. The idea was simple: test what it would be like to project light onto sacred canyon walls.
The Third Visit: Painted Canyons Projection Party
At the end of Mars College season, we hold MARS Electronica, a festival where Martians share what they’ve created over the course of the residency. So I decided to add the Painted Canyons Projection Party to the festival program.
I created the event on the open calendar and started gathering people. The live-coding music crew joined in to take care of the sound, while I handled the visuals. We brought food, drinks, a few projectors, lithium batteries charged by the sun, and other equipments. Unlike the first visit, this time we weren’t projecting for the camera — we were projecting for the people.
The following photos were taken by me and Kif using two different cameras. That night, I projected animations from VJ Suave, including some new pieces created in collaboration with Kif for an upcoming short film. I also invited Maggi, who operated the second projector, and we showcased the Little Martians by artist Vanessa Rosa.
Everything was done with the care of someone walking on sacred land.
We brought everything we used — and we took everything back.
Leaving no trace, only the memories.
video by czar / live coding music by Marzipan
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