There are a few sites dotted around America that shine out as colorful oases in the landscape, built by the hands of a devoted creative. Think of the vibrant Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in North Carolina or the esoteric sculptural mountain in Calipatria, the underrated California city with eccentric art and historic sites. The artists behind these impressive monuments (who typically work alone) are often labeled as eccentrics or outsiders, working beyond traditional art institutions, but their creations have become powerful, impassioned landmarks. One of the most impressive of these magnificent folk art sites is located near Buena Vista, Georgia. Pasaquan is 7 acres full of totems, sculptures, fencing, and a farmhouse, all painted in trippy, psychedelic patterns.
Seeing Pasaquan for the first time can feel like sensory overload. There’s so much color filling intricate pattern work, giant heads, and mandalas. Even more baffling, though, is the history of this place. It was the work of artist Eddie Owens Martin, who called himself Saint EOM, and it’s not just a wild creative project. Martin saw it as the fulfillment of a divine prophecy that he received from three mystical beings from the future. The art monument represents the vision received by Saint EOM, one of a future dominated by principles of hope and harmony. Whether or not you buy into the prophecy, it’s hard to stand among the swirling colors and detailed paintings without feeling inspired.
The cosmic prophecy of Pasaquan
At 14 years old, Eddie Owens Martin hitchhiked from the backroads of Georgia to the bustle of New York City. This was in the 1920s, and Martin was working sketchy jobs around the city to stay afloat. Around 1935, he had his first vision of three 8-foot-tall people from a future land called Pasaquan (he claimed). They urged Martin to make changes in his life for the better, so he started to devote himself to a Pasaquoyan spirituality and became a fortune teller.
Shortly after the first, a second vision of the Pasaquoyans occurred. This time, the message was that Martin had to move back to Georgia and build something, for which he would be christened as Saint EOM. He developed ideas about what to build based on the visions and studies of ancient civilizations and art. The project wasn’t merely an artistic pursuit, but it was a whole system of beliefs that Saint EOM called Pasaquoyanism. The central principle of this ideology is a kind of totality of cultures, where differences are set aside for a unified purpose of togetherness. Michael McFalls, the director of Pasaquan, described it as “a place where all cultures, and all races, and all creeds are merged together” (via WABE).
Saint EOM funded his art project and life by conducting fortune tellings at the site. People would line up outside of Pasaquan to get their fortune read by him and to see the artistic wonder. Tragically, the self-taught artist took his life in 1986. The Pasaquan Preservation Society has kept it intact and open for visitors to witness the immense work for themselves.
Step into the world of Pasaquan
