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Church of Cannabis: Sanctuary Painted in Hypercolor by Okuda San Miguel

02 May

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

On 4/20/17, the International Church of Cannabis opened in Denver, offering a new community center and sanctuary for marijuana enthusiasts with nearly every surface hand-painted in vivid colors and geometric shapes by street artist Okuda San Miguel. The church “is the first gathering place in the world where those who consume cannabis in order to help achieve their spiritual goals may do so legally, without fear,” and from the looks of their renovation of a 113-year-old building, it’s pretty awesome. You might just say the creators of this space have found their higher calling.

The church is the headquarters of Elevation Ministries, a new nonprofit religious organization in Colorado that officially claims cannabis as its primary sacrament. To become a member, you have to fill out an application on the church’s website, where they explain a few things and offer a 360-degree tour.

Church members are called Elevationists, and maintain that “an individual’s spiritual journey, and search for meaning, is one of self-discovery that can be accelerated with ritual cannabis use. Elevationists claim no divine authority, nor authoritarian structure, therefore, those of all religious and cultural background are welcome to visit our chapel and take part in our celebrations.”

In addition to a dazzling interior painted by Okuda San Miguel (who’s no stranger to painting churches), Elevation flew legendary LA street artist Kenny Scharf to Denver to paint a mural on the facade. The church is seeking funds on IndieGoGo for a few major repairs to the building, replacing the boilers and adding disabled access. Backing it will get you perks like online membership, t-shirts, bricks with your name on them in the garden and more.

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

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In Praise of Art: Abandoned Church Colorfully Transformed by Okuda

15 Mar

[ By Steph in Art & Street Art & Graffiti. ]

okuda church

Abandoned and dilapidated not so long ago, a neglected church in Morocco has become a vivid landmark decorated from the ground to the roof with colorful geometric illustrations by the street artist Okuda San Miguel. The project ’11 Mirages to Freedom’ wraps the entire facade of the structure in brilliant rainbow-hued paintings against a sunny yellow backdrop, making symbolic visual use of the architectural elements like the windows.

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Rather than just covering the abandoned church with murals, the renowned Spanish artist created an interactive display honoring its past, its structural integrity, the beauty of its lines and shapes. The name of the piece comes from the building’s eleven faces. Bars covering the windows are transformed into bird cages, the windows themselves into hats and crowns.

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The murals are in keeping with Okuda’s highly distinctive style, which employs facets of bright colors to render a cornucopia of animals and fantasy creatures. Here, the artist adds traditional Moroccan motifs, paying tribute to the individuality of the building and its setting. The project is part of the British Council’s Street Art Caravane Initiative.

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Check out Okuda’s previous works featured on Weburbanist, including a fleet of colorful freighters and a 100-year-old church in Spain transformed into a skate park.