The author of these works: Tire Nichols, a 29-year-old African-American amateur photographer, whose fatal beating by police in the southern United States in early January shocked America.

The panels have been on official display since Saturday around Palm Springs, just over 100 miles east of Los Angeles, as part of Desert X, an art exhibit known for its giant outdoor installations.

These are often filled with political messages, against the backdrop of the impressive landscape of the arid mountains of the region.

"Almost all of us know Tire through his tragic and brutal death at the hands of law enforcement in Memphis," festival artistic director Neville Wakefield told a press conference.

“What we may not know are the insights he gave into his life through his art,” he added.

A billboard displays a photograph of Tire Nichols, as part of the Desert X exhibition in the Coachella Valley, California, March 3, 2023 © Valerie MACON / AFP

Tire Nichols, who grew up in California before moving to Tennessee, was a photography enthusiast whose images featured bridges, murals, neon lights, and fiery sunsets.

In his adopted city, Memphis, he explored the relationships between people and their environment.

"Treasure hunt"

For the organizers of the exhibition, the choice to install his photos at the edge of a road was deliberate.

Tire Nichols, 29, was arrested on January 7 by agents from a special unit in Memphis, Tennessee, who accused him of a traffic violation.

Matt Johnson's "Sleeping Figure" installation, as part of the Desert X exhibition, in the Coachella Valley in California (United States), March 3, 2023 © VALERIE MACON / AFP

Beaten relentlessly, so much so that he became unrecognizable according to his mother, he died three days later in hospital.

The family of Tyre Nichols, who only agreed to the facility days before it was to be unveiled, hope they will shed light on a California bill that would limit police powers in in terms of roadside checks.

The late addition of Tire Nichols' works to Desert X aims to introduce him "as an artist, to show his work, and to make people react emotionally" with his works, the festival's founder told AFP. , Susan Davis.

Established six years ago, Desert X invites artists from around the world to visit the area around Palm Springs and create new work for installation in the Coachella Valley.

The "Immersion" installation by Gerald Clarke and Mara Gladstone as part of the Desert X exhibition in the Coachella Valley, California (United States), March 3, 2023 © VALERIE MACON / AFP

The works, exhibited for free from March 4 to May 7, are scattered across the valley, transforming the experience into a kind of "treasure hunt", according to Susan Davis.

In addition to the issue of social justice, several of the projects this year address water shortages, environmental degradation and the climate crisis.

© 2023 AFP