Surrounded by thousands of vibrant red bougainvillea blooms, a young time traveler wears a feather bundle on his head and aviators to shade his eyes from the brightness of the sun. Worn together, these accessories signal a disruption of linear time. Unbothered by record-breaking heat and known for its resilience and long bloom season, the bougainvillea thrives in the harsh climate of the Mojave Desert. Here, it becomes a colorful metaphor for the Chemehuevi and other Indigenous peoples who have lived in the Mojave Desert for thousands of years.

– Cara Romero