East Jesus is an experimental, sustainable and habitable art installation located in the Slab City area.
There is no religious connotation in the name East Jesus – it is a colloquialism for a place in the middle of nowhere beyond the edge of service availability; the off-grid facility operates with no municipal utilities.
In early 2007, Charlie Russell left his job in the technology industry, packed all his belongings into a shipping container and sent it to a trash-strewn field where he began to surround his two art cars with sculptures that would become the foundation works of East Jesus.
The Chasterus Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit formed after his death in 2011, has since guided the curation and expansion of East Jesus.

It was Russel, often called Container Charlie, who renamed his settlement site East Jesus.
He died in May 2011.
A brief video clip about Russel's life and work was created in 2011.
 
The East Jesus web site provides an insight into Charlie Russel's philosophy and art as well as his contribution to the art scene in the area.
A brief video clip includes some scenes from the early days of Russel's tenure.

Made from discarded material that has been reused, recycled or repurposed, East Jesus encourages visitors to imagine a world without waste, in which every action is opportunity for self-expression.
Assemblage and mixed-media art cover nearly every inch of it, interior and exterior.
Sculptures and installations are constantly in development throughout campus, and the musical performance space holds a public address system, a stage lighting system, and a studio grand piano.
 
Information published in 2014 said that there was a solar power system with a battery bank made up of expired batteries disposed by telecom companies.
Photography, multimedia art, performance art, writing and music are integral parts of a larger fabric, which their artists collectively are continually weaving.
 East Jesus artwork is living, growing and ever-changing, and embraces the thousands of varied voices from contributing artists who have added to the installation.
Each day, residential staff was giving dozens of free tours, and hosted visiting artists and overnight guests.

A 2019 article described East Jesus as an "art museum" with "eccentric art installations made of repurposed garbage ... that’s open to the public year-round, featuring a wall of broken TVs covered with pithy messages, a car adorned with baby doll heads, and other oddities".

A January 2020 report stated that the residents' camp (a "maze of trailers") had a caretaker by that time, Pyro Iskaki, and that the commune was equipped with a "battery bank, a backup diesel generator, composting toilets, a water heater, a hand-washing station, a library, a pantry, and a recycling area".
The attempt to create "something more livable" had led to some criticism of East Jesus, according to Iskaki: "There are some people that believe we’re gentrifying the Slabs."
East Jesus is an experimental, sustainable and habitable art installation located in the Slab City area. There is no religious connotation in the name East Jesus – it is a colloquialism for a place in the middle of nowhere beyond the edge of service availability; the off-grid facility operates with no municipal utilities. In early 2007, Charlie Russell left his job in the technology industry, packed all his belongings into a shipping container and sent it to a trash-strewn field where he began to surround his two art cars with sculptures that would become the foundation works of East Jesus. The Chasterus Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit formed after his death in 2011, has since guided the curation and expansion of East Jesus. 
It was Russel, often called Container Charlie, who renamed his settlement site East Jesus. He died in May 2011. A brief video clip about Russel's life and work was created in 2011.  
The East Jesus web site provides an insight into Charlie Russel's philosophy and art as well as his contribution to the art scene in the area. A brief video clip includes some scenes from the early days of Russel's tenure.
Made from discarded material that has been reused, recycled or repurposed, East Jesus encourages visitors to imagine a world without waste, in which every action is opportunity for self-expression. Assemblage and mixed-media art cover nearly every inch of it, interior and exterior. Sculptures and installations are constantly in development throughout campus, and the musical performance space holds a public address system, a stage lighting system, and a studio grand piano.  
Information published in 2014 said that there was a solar power system with a battery bank made up of expired batteries disposed by telecom companies. Photography, multimedia art, performance art, writing and music are integral parts of a larger fabric, which their artists collectively are continually weaving.  East Jesus artwork is living, growing and ever-changing, and embraces the thousands of varied voices from contributing artists who have added to the installation. Each day, residential staff was giving dozens of free tours, and hosted visiting artists and overnight guests.
A 2019 article described East Jesus as an "art museum" with "eccentric art installations made of repurposed garbage ... that’s open to the public year-round, featuring a wall of broken TVs covered with pithy messages, a car adorned with baby doll heads, and other oddities".
A January 2020 report stated that the residents' camp (a "maze of trailers") had a caretaker by that time, Pyro Iskaki, and that the commune was equipped with a "battery bank, a backup diesel generator, composting toilets, a water heater, a hand-washing station, a library, a pantry, and a recycling area". The attempt to create "something more livable" had led to some criticism of East Jesus, according to Iskaki: "There are some people that believe we’re gentrifying the Slabs."
Slab City, California