Slab City, home to the remains of the abandoned World War II Marine training base that now is home to local squatters and wanderers. This eerie town in California has two main attractions: Salvation Mountain and East Jesus. Both have content pertaining to Christianity, however their individual messages/themes are very contrasting to each other.
Salvation Mountain is a man-made cement mountain covered in paint, and is almost 30 years in the making. The purpose of this folk art is to spread — as well as encourage — love. Leonard Knight was the primary creator of Salvation Mountain. When visiting his sister in the late 1960s, he found Jesus. His views on God, Jesus and Christianity were simple: accept Jesus, repent for your sins and be saved but most religious institutions he came in contact with disagreed with his simplistic interpretation. As a response, he moved decided to create a monument preaching love and Jesus. It originally started as a small project that has expanded over the years. With donations of paint supplies from people all over the states, it has helped keep this project alive.
“There is only one rule here: if you break something it was probably already broken so don’t worry — this isn’t a place of worry! If anything, that thing you may or may not end up breaking is now a new piece of art that you have contributed to this beautiful space,” bellowed a bearded man draped in a green sparkling dress near the entrance of East Jesus.
In contrast to Salvation Mountain, East Jesus — a place just down the road — is also a Slab City landmark. Founded back in 2007 by Charlie Russell, a man who had recently quit his job and came to Slab City to get some space. This post-apocalyptic attraction is decorated with recycled art. Riddled with quirky word-play, conspiracy theories and anarchist thoughts, East Jesus criticizes societal norms and institutions within the United States. It represents a place that does not fit into social categories; a place of outcasts and misfits.
The founders of Salvation Mountain and East Jesus have both passed away but their creations remain strong to this day.
