Salvation Mountain: An Imprint of Devotion

Rising from the barren desert, outside, there is a the brightly painted hill is covered with flowers, rivers, waterfalls, birds, trees, all a rounded by thousands of hand-painted Bible verses. Towering above it all are the words, "God Is Love." AN IMPRINT OF DEVOTION, Preserving the art of at Salvation Mountain looks almost imaginary.

Salvation Mountain

Nestled near the Salton Sea in Southern California, Salvation Mountain has become a destination that intrigues not only the deeply religious, but artists, travelers, photographers.. anyone drawn to places that defy explanation.

We had a chat with Bob Levesque, the curator & protector of Salvation Mountain, to dig into some of the history, depth and significance of this monument.

EYES & EDGE: why do OUTSIDER art environments like Salvation Mountain continue to captivate us in an increasingly digital world?

Bob Levesque: The uniqueness and creativity of outsider art is a huge part of the attraction, and the digital world gives us an incredible ability to share places that most people may never have the opportunity to experience in person.

Personally, I think the flat digital world is fascinated by the dimensional world it lives in.

In the case of Salvation Mountain, add an enormous scale, a simple visual language, & a whole lot of color, and you have something people can't help but be drawn to.

Bob Levesque, the protector of Salvation Mountain

The true beauty of it is that Leonard Knight wasn't trying to become famous or create a masterpiece to be CRITIQUED.

He wasn't commissioned, WE WASN’T funded by a museum, or backed by a foundation.

His commitment wasn't rooted in recognition or financial success, but in the hope that art could offer comfort, joy, and love to complete strangers. He created this mountain solely to brighten SOMEBODY'S day, & remind them they are loved.

Whether one is religious or not, if the word “God” jolts or inspires them, It cannot be denied that the drive and dedication to create merely for creations sake, is nothing short of a devotional act of spiritual reverence and graciousness to life itself.

There is something profoundly inspiring about someone dedicating an entire lifetime to a single idea with such sincerity and humility. In that sense, Salvation Mountain transcends religion. It becomes a testament to the power of conviction, creativity, & the human desire to leave the world a little brighter than we found it.

EYES & EDGE: Leonard Knight often said, "God is Love." How do you think visitors from completely different beliefs interpret that message?

BOB: However they want to. Leonard hoped people would see it as simply as he did.

EYES & EDGE: Why do you think this place resonates so deeply with artists, photographers, filmmakers, and creatives from around the world?

BOB: There really isn't anything quite like it anywhere else in the world.

Its uniqueness is a tremendous draw for creative people. It is a place that almost demands to be experienced, photographed, interpreted, and shared.

EYES & EDGE: How does the act of continually repainting and repairing the Mountain become part of the artwork itself?

BOB: That continues to be a matter of debate, especially among some in the art preservation community. Art on this scale doesn't fit inside a museum, nor can it simply be moved somewhere protected. Leonard knew that, but he built it anyway.

In the beginning, he thought that one day the Mountain might simply return to the earth it was made from. But after ten years of seeing thousands of people visit, he began to realize that keeping it here was a better idea. He hoped museum professionals or artists would care for it after he was gone and maintain it the way he left it.

The reality is that the paint and clay are exposed to one of the harshest environments in the country. It has to be repaired and repainted if it is going to remain in a respectful condition.

I use the word respectful intentionally. As a steward of another person's artwork, I don't believe we should allow that work to deteriorate beyond its effectiveness as art. That philosophy may not align perfectly with traditional preservation practices, but we've also found that many of those practices were never designed with recycled materials and outsider art environments like this in mind.

Paint for rehabilitation.

EYES & EDGE: What surprises first-time visitors most when they finally arrive?

Bob Levesque: The enormous scale. The amount of color. then, very often, the question: How was one person able to pull this off?

E&E: How has the Mountain's meaning evolved since Leonard's passing?

Bob Levesque: We actually try not to let its meaning evolve.

Before his passing, Leonard asked us to maintain it and to "let the Mountain speak for itself." That's what we try to honor.

Today, Salvation Mountain stands at the edge of Slab City, an off-the-grid desert community known for its artists, free spirits, and those living outside conventional society. The contrast is striking. A place often associated with hardship is also home to one of America's most joyful and optimistic examples of folk art.

E&E: If Salvation Mountain disappeared tomorrow, what would the art world lose?

Bob Levesque: A national treasure, as Senator Barbara Boxer once called it.

But beyond that, we would lose a remarkably simple route to a message of love and salvation that has traveled around the world. The world, & Imperial County would lose one of its most unique landmarks.

In 2001, Salvation Mountain was recognized by the United States Congress as a national folk art treasure. Following Leonard Knight's passing in 2014, volunteers formed Salvation Mountain, Inc, a non-profit to preserve his life's work, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience his remarkable vision & THE WAY IT EVOLKS HUMAN EMOTION TO ALL WHO VISIT.

What lingers long after a visit isn't simply the explosion of color. It's the realization that one ordinary person, armed with little more than paint, persistence, & unwavering conviction, transformed an empty patch of desert into one of America's most beloved public artworks.

Salvation Mountain ultimately reminds us of what is possible when someone creates not for recognition, but from a deep desire to inspire others.

HOW Inspiring is that? what if you dedicated your life to just one CREATIVE PROJECT. How do you envision it looking at the end of your life?

Thank you Leonard KNIGHT for reminding us to Aspire to Inspire before we Expire.