What is the Calzona Collective?

The Calzona Collective is a group of independent, international artists who generally congealed in the San Diego California region. We aim to transform preconceived notions about land, specifically desert landscapes. We wish to destroy the idea that the desert is an empty space by highlighting the lives, landmarks, and history of desert regions. Our focus remains on the Colorado Desert region and our laboratories in Calzona, where we aim to add landmarks, way-stations, or artwork that can spotlight the significance of the area. Our first public gesture was the Calzona Prize contest to award a lot in Calzona to artists whose proposal had the best chance of actually producing a significant, on the ground work in the Calzona area. Deby and Larry Kline were selected in June 2016 as the winners of the lot.

Reach us at calzonacollective@gmail.com.

Members of the Collective

Founding Artists
Wei-yin Cheng
Jane DeAlmeida
Qixin Ding
Kenneth Escamilla
Jesse Gastelum
Felipa Gonzalez
Wenhao Gu
Kathy Huynh
Chih-wen Kou
Tiffany Lam
Amber Lord
Alexander Mcvickar
Sal Moreno
Paula Poole
Jose Quintero
Cicero Silva
Brett Stalbaum
Ting Su
Efren Tostado
Siyi Ye
Congqi Zhang

Winter 2018 Members:
Sidney Gao
Brian Kim
Diego Guardado
Alvin Pascua
Francisco Duran
Yunshen Wu
Nick Phalen
Areli Margarita Alvarez
Chengxu Zhou
Isaac Fehr
Stephanie Menhart
You Zhang
Ruisheng Wang
Yifei Xie & Jialiman Sun
Jeffry Jaman
Steven Porter
Akira Mariano
Chengzhang Zhang

Spring 2018 Members:
Chi Zhang
Daphne (Danfei) Sun
Erica Cruz
Erick Morales
John Kim
Katie Tam
Kathy Lam
Max Herman – Inaugurator
Qiuwan (Cynthia) Liu
Shelby Tindall
Sonia (Ferris) Yeh
Thomas Sharkey
Yue (Shirley) Guo
Zhuoqun (Robin) Xu

2016 Calzona Prize Winners
Debby Kline
Larry Kline

Takes

“Calzona is a multi-generational, mostly accidental laboratory for discovering what can be made out of whatever remains. It should be added, that the Calzona Collective is open to contributions to the space from others who might become neighbors. From our perspective they do not need to adhere to anything stated here or elsewhere, as that would obviate our desired experimental attitude toward land use.”
– Brett Stalbaum and Paula Poole

“Life at the River 5 minutes to Colorado River shore Calzona, Ca. San Bernardino County. This breathtaking property is on a small town called Calzona, Ca. right beside Big River, Ca. Shore at the Great Colorado River. The community of Big River has a history rich with pioneering spirit, entrepreneurial vigor, and loads of determination. This community began with determined people that had a vision of establishing businesses. Forestry, commercial fishing, and agriculture became the backbone of the community, which in turn opened up a vibrant retail market that supplied the families… of these industries, their basic needs and established the community as an important link to the north. Now this great and quiet town located on the west bank of the Colorado River lays there just for you either for a vacation home or building that retirement house that you want.”
– Trulia.com listing for a Calzona 5225 square foot lot (.12 acre), asking price $7000