Right up there near the top of my list of coolest jobs ever, along with Sesame Street character (don’t ask) and professional skydiver is Phil Blaine’s title: Art Curator for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Careening around festival grounds in his golf cart a few days before the gates open to the public, surrounded by gigantic stages and sculptures, he looks something like the mayor of Alice’s Wonderland. Would that make him The Caterpillar? The Queen of Hearts? But I digress…

In terms of the visual art, Coachella is one place where size does matter. “We want it to feel like Disneyland for adults here,” Blaine says. “The bigger the better—the art should affect the skyline, have wow-factor but be accessible to the masses at the same time.” Not to mention the fact that big art creates big shade and provides the crowd with landmarks and easy-to-find meeting places when things get a little hectic, which they always do at this 50,000+ festival.

And I have to say, nothing says “wow” like “Hand of Man” by Christian Ristow, a giant hydraulic hand that’s controlled with a Nintendo powered glove and can pick up and crush cars. Or how about the Pyrocardium by False Profit Labs, a pulse monitor that blasts fireballs into the sky to the rhythm of your heartbeat. Or maybe the Bamboo Starscraper by Gerard Minakawa, a 90-foot tall bamboo structure, woven in intricate detail and culminating in a fire- spewing spire at its apex?

This year, Blaine had to wade through 120 submissions, narrowing it down to just 17 pieces. “The hardest part of my job is saying no,” he says. His selection process involves “casting a wide net, taking art from all different kinds of places,” including Burning Man Arts Festival, schools, galleries, museums and shows. In fact, the art is such a big deal here says Blaine, that it takes up more space in the event program than the music.

And walking around the festival, it’s easy to see why—the art transforms this event from a regular concert into an entirely new and provocative interactive experience, a place where adults are allowed—even encouraged—to play and relax and explore freely. A place where adults can be, well…kids. Sesame Street, eat your heart out.

Words & Photos by Christine Spehar