Wedged between the Chocolate Mountain Gunnery Range and the Salton Sea in southern California's exotic Imperial Valley, East Jesus is an experimental habitat and artwork comprising vernacular architecture, desert survival and sculpture/assemblage using predominantly recycled, re-purposed or discarded materials (ie, trash), sublimating the unwanted and ugly into the purposefully beautiful. The main structure is built around a 27' fiberglass shipping container, extended by walls composed of junk (lockers, computers, refrigerators, microwave ovens, bookshelves, tool chests, shipping crates, TVs and other electronics) and recycled, re-used lumber and steel. A contiguous shade structure connects the main container to a two-level 24' trailer (found abandoned and stripped) through a row of desert ironwood trees, which themselves serve as structural elements. Begun February of 2007, the main habitat continues to grow and evolve. Adjoining the habitat is a sculpture garden whose constituents are made exclusively of junk from the immediate area, also growing and evolving. The large, open shaded area has become home to a surprising variety of wildlife - lizards, rabbits, quail, hummingbirds, woodpeckers and other avian species call East Jesus home.
The name East Jesus is ironic; it derives from the American idiomatic expression used to describe a remote, uninteresting place. It is also a nod of admiration to its neighboring folk art masterpiece, Salvation Mountain, but is not affiliated with it nor any other religious organizations. East Jesus is the home of the Slab City Gun Club, the Slab City Zen Center, and is an as-yet unofficial outpost of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus. A growing community of artists and engineers, some fond of strong drink, call East Jesus their home away from home, a retreat from their daily jet-age worlds into a calm, inspiring and majestic desert landscape with a few "thrills of excitement" provided by the military. Collaborative projects are encouraged, iconoclasts are invited, camping is always welcome and housing is usually available - free. Contact me for more information. Directions are here.
Events / Timeline:
November 2007: Rockette Bob's most recent creation, "Merry" aka "Rockette Bob's Pocket Rocket," becomes part of the East Jesus collection.
October 2007: ArtCar Fest, now in its 11th year, caravans from San Francisco to Art Car World in Douglas, AZ, with a de rigeur visit to East Jesus and Salvation Mountain along the way. Professional video crews are sighted with alarming frequency.
May 2007: Guest artist Genevieve Griesau spends the month picking through the rich junk supplies and generates her own brand of chaotic ingeniuity.
March 2007: Guest artist Royce "Mr. God" Carlson of Cosmic Steel sets up camp and makes stuff with the help of many guests.
February 2007: Groundbreaking (dropping off of the 27' fiberglass container.)
December 2006: Chasterus moves to Slab City
October 2006: Chasterus hits the road, scouting locations for the Next Big Whatevs. The ideal spot will be cheap, remote and extremely lenient in terms of building codes. Slab City appears optimal.
East Jesus through the eye of the outsider:
Portrait photography by Stephen Chalmers.
A whimsical post card illustration by Ken Duffy.
A documentary video by Royce Carlson aka Mr. God: