LSD art

{{Short description|Art inspired by psychedelic experiences}}

{{Psychedelic sidebar |expanded=Arts}}

LSD art is any art or visual displays inspired by psychedelic experiences and hallucinations known to follow the ingestion of LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide, also known colloquially as acid).{{Cite journal|last1=Schmid|first1=Yasmin|last2=Enzler|first2=Florian|last3=Gasser|first3=Peter|last4=Grouzmann|first4=Eric|last5=Preller|first5=Katrin H.|last6=Vollenweider|first6=Franz X.|last7=Brenneisen|first7=Rudolf|last8=Müller|first8=Felix|last9=Borgwardt|first9=Stefan|date=2015-10-15|title=Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects|url= http://edoc.unibas.ch/42234/1/20160316150932_56e9691c51f97.pdf|journal=Biological Psychiatry|language=English|volume=78|issue=8|pages=544–553|doi=10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.11.015|pmid=25575620|s2cid=31659064 |issn=0006-3223}} Artists and scientists have been interested in the effect of LSD on drawing and painting since it first became available for legal use and general consumption.{{cite book |title=LSD — The Problem-Solving Psychedelic |author=P.G. Stafford and B.H. Golightly |url=http://www.psychedelic-library.org/staf3.htm}}

LSD causes visual hallucinations, audiovisual synesthesia, and experiences of de-realisation. These effects provide inspiration for artists, who may illustrate their hallucinations.

History

File:Lsdfacecoloured.jpg noted similarities between paintings made under the influence of the drug and those made by schizophrenics.]]

LSD art dates back to the 1960s, where it became very common as well.{{Cite web|url=http://reset.me/story/reflections-direct-influence-psychedelics-art/|title=Reflections On The Direct Influence Of Psychedelics On Art - Reset.me|website=Reset.me|date=2 January 2015|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-17|archive-date=2016-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826113327/http://reset.me/story/reflections-direct-influence-psychedelics-art/|url-status=dead}} The drug became so popular, that some countries started banning the substance in 1967.{{Cite web|url=http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/lsd/a-short-history.html|title=The History of LSD - Acid, Albert Hoffman & Timothy Leary - Drug-Free World|website=www.drugfreeworld.org|access-date=2016-05-17}} A French artist by the name of Henri Michaux, was considered "a pioneer in psychedelic art". Michaux experimented with LSD while creating his now famous book, 'Miserable Miracle', which included both his writings and drawings. Many artists realised how LSD could also positively influence their artwork, which is why it was so popular throughout the 1960s.

Dr. Oscar Janiger was one of the pioneers in the field studying the relationship between LSD and creativity. What fascinated Janiger was that "paintings, under the influence of LSD, had some of the attributes of what looked like the work done by schizophrenics".{{cite book |title=Oscar Janiger |author=David Jay |year=2003}} Janiger maintained that trained artists could "maintain a certain balance, riding the edge" of the LSD induced psychosis, "ride his creative Pegasus". Janiger coined the term '"dry schizophrenia," where a person was able to control the surroundings and yet be "crazy" at the same time'.

Many artists and their surviving relatives have kept LSD artwork from this period. One patient of Dr. Janiger, bipolar and alcoholic artist Frank Murdoch,{{cite book |title=Looking For Frank Murdoch: The LSD Experiments |author=Lynn Svensson |year=2006 }} was given a controlled, experimental dose of LSD for several months as an attempt to cure his late stage alcoholism. Janiger had Murdoch paint still-lives both on and off LSD, including a Kachina doll (that he reportedly had 70 other patients also paint).{{citation needed|date=May 2010}} Murdoch also continued to paint as an artist while on LSD,{{cite book |title=Looking For Frank Murdoch: LSD pages |author=Lynn Svensson |year=2006 }} including most of his underwater paintings.{{cite web |url=http://frankmurdoch.net/quietplace.aspx |title=Underwater Paintings |accessdate=2010-03-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212013117/http://frankmurdoch.net/quietplace.aspx |archivedate=2010-02-12 }}

In the Netherlands, Dr. Stanislav Grof practiced psycholytic therapy in the 1980s, which included having his patients paint on LSD. Some of his artist patients painted numerous paintings while on LSD.{{cite book |title=Tripscapes: LSD Art From Stan Grof's Psychedelic Epic – LSD Psychotherapy |author=Stanislav Grof |year=1980 }}

= Psychedelic artists =

See also

References

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