Ariel West
The Register of Uncollected Petrodesires
with sound installation by Andrea Moreno (Sound Art MFA 2025)
April 24–May 24, 2026
Opening Friday, April 24, 5–9pm
Isolde
55 West 8th Street
Fifth Floor*
New York, NY 10011
*Stair access only
For a limited time, The Register of Uncollected Petrodesires has been made available for public viewing. The first access to the Register since its inception by Ariel West will be marked by an opening reception this Friday, April 24 from 5–9pm, with visitation hours Wednesday and Sunday evenings through May 24.
West’s archive of collective American desire as shaped by fantasy and petroleum is presented alongside a sound installation by Andrea Moreno. Within the R.U.P., petrodesire names recurring formations such as convenience and abundance; the compression of time and space; cleanliness and sterility; spectacle; the freedom of the open road; and the crumbling fantasy that nature can always be restored through technology.
Before visiting, complete the Petrodesire Questionnaire to contribute to the R.U.P.’s ongoing research. Internal logs suggest complete collection of all petrodesires was never considered possible, but accumulation continues.
