Leonard Knight, Salvation Mountain
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5.9 miles away
Slab City / East Jesus / The Range
Niland, California, USA
41.7 miles away
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Location:
Niland, California, USA (Map)
Status:
Threatened
Artist:
Materials:
adobe, hay bales, paint, tree limb
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November 2015
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19 Dec. 2015
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Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with permission of the photographer, Jo Farb Hernández
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with the permission of the photographer, Robert Foster
Used with permission of the photographer, Kristen Hastings
Used with permission of the photographer, Kristen Hastings
Used with permission of the photographer, Kristen Hastings
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Annalise Flynn
Used with permission of the photographer, Billy Reed
Used with permission of the photographer, Billy Reed
Used with permission of the photographer, Billy Reed
Used with permission of the photographer, Billy Reed
Used with permission of the photographer, Billy Reed
Images
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About the Artist/Site
For almost thirty years, Leonard Knight applied brightly colored adobe to this three-story mountainside in the California desert, forming flowers, waterfalls, and rivers to enhance biblical verses that proclaimed his message “God is Love.” Hay bales, tree trunks, and various found objects were also covered with candy-colored adobe, forming a complex and compelling masterpiece. He welcomed all comers, and despite his spiritual message, resisted being pigeon-holed by organized religious groups. Initially decried as an environmental hazard and an unauthorized use of state land, in 2002 it was entered into the Congressional Record as a National Treasure.
In December 2011, Knight was moved to an assisted living facility near San Diego, and on February 10, 2014, he passed away. He was 82.
Even before his departure from the mountain, Knight had not been addressing ongoing conservation needs with as much energy and attention as earlier; numerous cracks and peeling, fading paint now mar the Mountain’s impact. After Knight was no longer in residence, an ad-hoc group of supporters, drawn in part from his neighbors at Slab City, formed a nonprofit organization with the hope of preserving Knight’s masterpiece for future generations, but there remain unanswered ownership questions as well as significant security and stability challenges. Nevertheless, the site remains open, and volunteers are working to ensure its survival in the immediate future.
SPACES Archives Holdings
4 folders, 1 binder: clippings, correspondence, images, pamphlets
Related Documents
Commercial filming guidelines for Salvation Mountain
Letter to Robert C. Hight, CA State Lands Commission from Holly Metz, 9/1/1994
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Holly Metz, 9/1/1994
Petition to save Salvation Mountain
Petition to save Salvation Mountain
Letter from SPACES/Seymour Rosen, 8/26/1994
Brief bio of Leonard Knight, 2/27/1999
Flyer for Salvation Mountain Film, 9/9/1995
Press release for “Visions from the Left Coast” exhbition, 9/9/1995
Flyer for “Visions from the Left Coast” exhbition symposium, 10/7/1995
Info about preservation of Knight site
Draft for petition to save Salvation Mountain
Letter to Leonard Knight from Joe Adams, America Oh Yes!
Notes about lead analysis of Salvation Mountain
Letter to Larry from SPACES, 8/23/1994
Info about Salvation Mountain, 8/17/1994
Letter to Leonard (Knight?) from Geroge (?)
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 12/27/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 9/15/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 2/5/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 7/15/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 12/12/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Sidney Williams, Palm Springs Desert Museum, 1/30/1996
Letter to Jon Nelson, Décor Home Center from Larry Yust, 8/11/1996
Letter to Leonard Knight from Martin?, 6/15/1998
Letter to various recipients from SPACES/Seymour Rosen, 8/26/1994
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 7/15/1995
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from William V. Morrison, CA State Lands Commission, 7/24/1997
Letter to Don Reese, CA State Lands Commission from SPACES/Seymour Rosen, 5/30/1997
Salvation Mountain Exposure, 5/28/1997
Letter to Leonard Knight from Al and Vi Longden, 4/7/1995
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Larry Yust, 9/19/1994
Letter to Don Reese, CA State Lands Commission from Leonard Knight, 9/9/1994
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Larry Yust, 8/22/1994
Letter to Leonard Knight from Tree of Life
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Leonard Knight, 9/25/1995
Letter to Leonard Knight from Larry Yust, 3/22/1996
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Leonard Knight, 7/15/1995
Letter to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from Ginny Brush, Brush and Associates, 1/7/1998
Letter to Larry Yust from SPACES/Seymour Rosen
Fax to SPACES/Seymour Rosen from American Visionary Art Museum Trustees, 3/8/2007
Invitation to celebrate first printing of Slavation Mountain book, 4/26/1998
Health or Hazard?-or Boondoggle!
Loners on Wheels newsletter, 9/1994
Letter from Ken Warneke and Jan Carmichael
Congressional Record, 5/15/2002
Letter to Larry Yust, New Leaf Press from Al Weber, 2/15/1999
Draft for possbile workshop at Salvation Mountain
Flyer for “Minds in Motion”, 6/1999
Map and site information
Not Exact Address
Niland, California, United States
Latitude/Longitude: 33.278361 / -115.427396
is a nonprofit public benefit organization created with an international focus on the study, documentation and archive of art environments and self-taught artistic activity.
Seymour Rosen
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